Solanum laxum
Common name
potato vine
Synonyms
Solanum jasminoides
Family
Solanaceae
Flora category
Vascular – Exotic
Structural class
Lianes & Related Trailing Plants - Dicotyledons
Conservation status
Not applicable
Habitat
Terrestrial.
Features
High-climbing, usually hairless vine. Stems to 15 m long, semi-woody. Leaf stems to 3 cm long, slender, twining. Leaves alternate, 20-60 x 7-30 mm, thin to oval, occasionally with lobes at base. Flowers star-shaped, white or pale mauve with central yellow cone, 20-33 mm diameter, many and long-lasting in loose terminal clusters, Jan-Dec. Berries 4-6 mm diameter, shiny, dark blue-black, often absent.
Similar taxa
Can be confused with Jasminum polyanthum when not flowering. However S. jasminoides has alternate leaves. The potato-like flowers Immediately place this vine in Solanaceae
Flowering
January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December
Flower colours
White, Yellow
Year naturalised
1958
Origin
S Brazil
Etymology
solanum: Derivation uncertain - possibly from the Latin word sol, meaning “sun,” referring to its status as a plant of the sun. Another possibility is that the root was solare, meaning “to soothe,” or solamen, meaning “a comfort,” which would refer to the soothing effects of the plant upon ingestion.
Reason For Introduction
Ornamental
Life Cycle Comments
Perennial.
Reproduction
Some of its spread is almost certainly vegetative. (DoC, 1998).
Dispersal
spread by birds (DoC, 1998).
Attribution
Species name change from S. jasminoides to S. laxum by C C Ogle, 24 Oct 2019