Solanum

Solanum
Brazilian nightshade (Solanum seaforthianum)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Asterids
Order:	Solanales
Family:	Solanaceae
Subfamily:	Solanoideae
Tribe:	Solaneae
Genus:	Solanum L.[1]
Type species
Solanum nigrum L.[2]
Subgenera
Bassovia Leptostemonum Lyciosolanum Solanum (but see text)
Synonyms
Androcera Nutt. Aquartia Jacq. Artorhiza Raf. Bassovia Aubl. Battata Hill Bosleria A.Nelson Ceranthera Raf. Cliocarpus Miers Cyphomandra Mart. ex Sendtn. Diamonon Raf. Dulcamara Moench Lycopersicon Mill. Melongena Mill. Normania Lowe Nycterium Vent. Ovaria Fabr. Parmentiera Raf. (non DC.: preoccupied) Petagnia Raf. Pionandra Miers Pheliandra Werderm. Pseudocapsicum Medik. Scubulus Raf. Solanastrum Fabr. Solanocharis Bitter Solanopsis Bitter Triguera Cav.

Solanum is a large and diverse genus of flowering plants, which include three food crops of high economic importance: the potato, the tomato and the eggplant (aubergine, brinjal). It is the largest genus in the nightshade family Solanaceae, comprising around 1,500 species. It also contains the so-called horse nettles (unrelated to the genus of true nettles, Urtica), as well as numerous plants cultivated for their ornamental flowers and fruit.

Solanum species show a wide range of growth habits, such as annuals and perennials, vines, subshrubs, shrubs, and small trees. Many formerly independent genera like Lycopersicon (the tomatoes) and Cyphomandra are now included in Solanum as subgenera or sections. Thus, the genus today contains roughly 1,500–2,000 species.