Solanum vescum
Encyclopedia
Solanum vescum, commonly known as green kangaroo apple or gunyang, is a small fruiting shrub in the family Solanaceae
, native to eastern and southeastern Australia
.
Solanum vescum was first described by Victorian government botanist, Ferdinand von Mueller
, in 1855 after being collected near the mouth of the Snowy River
. The specific epithet is the neuter of the Latin
adjective vescus, meaning "edible".
Solanum vescum is a soft green shrub which grows to 1 or 2 m (3–7 ft) high. It lacks the spines of many other species of Solanum. Its juvenile leaves are ovate with three or four deep lobes, and measure 15 to 30 cm (6–12 in) long and 11–24 cm (4–10 in) wide. The adult leaves are narrowly lanceolate and either lack lobes (unusually for a Solanum) or have 2 to 4 on each side. The small purple flowers occur in winter and spring, and are followed by yellowish- or ivory-green 2–2.5 cm (0.8-1 in) diameter globular fruit, often streaked, which occur in bunches of 5 to 20.
The range is from southeastern Queensland
through eastern and central New South Wales
(with Moree
and Narrabri as western limits) and Victoria and into Tasmania
. Solanum vescum is an understory
shrub in a range of forest habitats including rainforest and wet and dry sclerophyll
(Eucalyptus) forest.
Solanum vescum was eaten by the Gunai
people of Gippsland. It grew from seed prolifically after bushfire, and the local indigenous people would practice controlled burns to induce it to grow and bear fruit.
Solanaceae
Solanaceae are a family of flowering plants that include a number of important agricultural crops as well as many toxic plants. The name of the family comes from the Latin Solanum "the nightshade plant", but the further etymology of that word is unclear...
, native to eastern and southeastern Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
.
Solanum vescum was first described by Victorian government botanist, Ferdinand von Mueller
Ferdinand von Mueller
Baron Sir Ferdinand Jacob Heinrich von Mueller, KCMG was a German-Australian physician, geographer, and most notably, a botanist.-Early life:...
, in 1855 after being collected near the mouth of the Snowy River
Snowy River
The Snowy River is a major river in south-eastern Australia. It originates on the slopes of Mount Kosciuszko, Australia's highest mainland peak, draining the eastern slopes of the Snowy Mountains in New South Wales, before flowing through the Snowy River National Park in Victoria and emptying into...
. The specific epithet is the neuter of the Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
adjective vescus, meaning "edible".
Solanum vescum is a soft green shrub which grows to 1 or 2 m (3–7 ft) high. It lacks the spines of many other species of Solanum. Its juvenile leaves are ovate with three or four deep lobes, and measure 15 to 30 cm (6–12 in) long and 11–24 cm (4–10 in) wide. The adult leaves are narrowly lanceolate and either lack lobes (unusually for a Solanum) or have 2 to 4 on each side. The small purple flowers occur in winter and spring, and are followed by yellowish- or ivory-green 2–2.5 cm (0.8-1 in) diameter globular fruit, often streaked, which occur in bunches of 5 to 20.
The range is from southeastern Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
through eastern and central New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
(with Moree
Morée
Morée is a commune in the Loir-et-Cher department of central France.-See also:*Communes of the Loir-et-Cher department...
and Narrabri as western limits) and Victoria and into Tasmania
Tasmania
Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
. Solanum vescum is an understory
Understory
Understory is the term for the area of a forest which grows at the lowest height level below the forest canopy. Plants in the understory consist of a mixture of seedlings and saplings of canopy trees together with understory shrubs and herbs...
shrub in a range of forest habitats including rainforest and wet and dry sclerophyll
Sclerophyll
Sclerophyll is the term for a type of vegetation that has hard leaves and short internodes . The word comes from the Greek sclero and phyllon ....
(Eucalyptus) forest.
Solanum vescum was eaten by the Gunai
Gunai
The Gunai or Kurnai is an Indigenous Australian nation of south-east Australia whose territory occupied most of present-day Gippsland and much of the southern slopes of the Victorian Alps. The nation was not on friendly terms with the neighbouring Wurundjeri and Bunurong nations...
people of Gippsland. It grew from seed prolifically after bushfire, and the local indigenous people would practice controlled burns to induce it to grow and bear fruit.