Solanum capsicoides All.

Family: Solanaceae

Synonym: Solanum ciliatum Lam.                           

Bengali/Vernacular name: Loma begun.

English name: Ciliate solanum.

Description of the Plant: A perennial, slightly woody undershrub, up to 1 m tall with tough stem. Stem have many needle-like prickles. Leaves 3-9 x 2-7 cm, broadly ovate to ovate-cordate, pinnately 5-7 lobed, truncate at the base, acute to acuminate at the apex. Inflorescence extra-axillary, pendent, few-flowered. Flowers regular, bisexual, white to pale lilac. Fruit a globose to depressed-globose berry, 2 cm across, solitary sometimes 2-3 together, pale green with dark green marking when young, brick-red o orange red when ripe.

Plant parts Used: Fruit, seed, root.

Traditional Uses: Fruits charred and pounded in oil, which is used to treat skin complaints.
Paste prepared from the roots is applied to the gums as a remedy against toothache.
The smoke of dried, pounded and burned seeds has been inhaled to cure an ulcerated nose.
Traditionally the plant is used for the treatment of diverse ailments like cough, bronchitis, asthma, influenza, and enteric fever.

Distribution: This species is found in Cox’s Bazar, and Noakhali districts.

Is this plant misidentified? If yes, please tell us….