Open    Access



The Solanum nigrum Complex (Black Night Shade) Grown in the Rift Valley, Western and Nyanza Provinces of Kenya



Author(s)

Lexa Gomezgani Matasyoh and Asa Nyang’au. Bosire

Full-Text PDF XML     1437 Views

DOI:10.17265/1934-7391/2016.05.002

Solanum nigrum complex comprises of plant species that belong to Solanum section Solanum used as indigenous leafy vegetables in Kenya among many communities. The Solanum nigrum complex species have also been used traditionally as medicine. Many species make up the Solanum nigrum complex, and some include S. scabrum, S. villosum, S. americanum, S. nigrum, S. americanum, and S. physalifolium. The purpose of this study was to determine the species of Solanum nigrum complex found in Rift Valley, Nyanza and Western provinces of Kenya. Samples were collected from Eldoret-Iten, Kisumu-Nyando, Kisii-Nyamira, Nakuru, and Busia then pressed and sent to a plant taxonomist in Egerton University for classification and identification. It was established that the collected samples belonged to S. nigrum, S. scabrum, and S. villosum species. The morphological characteristics used to distinguish the species included shape and colour of the stems, size and shape of the leaves, size, shape and colour of the berries, and the inflorescence. S. nigrum was widely found in some regions with a noticeable bias towards S. scabrum that was preferred due to its large size of leaves and taste when cooked. However, the distribution and presence of S. nigrum and S. villosum in some of the study regions was poor.

Solanum nigrum complex, S. scabrum, S. villosum, S. nigrum