Thorny Nightshade Thai Eggplant Solanum Virginianum

Description

Solanum virginianum, also called Surattense nightshade, yellow-fruit nightshade, yellow-berried nightshade, Thai green eggplant, Thai striped eggplant (from the unripe fruit), is also known as Indian night shade or yellow berried night shade plant. An erect or creeping herbaceous perennial plant that sometimes becomes woody at the base; it can grow 50 – 70cm tall. The plant is copiously armed with sturdy, needle-like prickles and is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and medicine. The fruits are harvested for commercial extraction of solasodine, which is used in the synthesis of hormones.