Revision of Identification keys from Mon, 2023-10-23 10:08

Identification Keys

Global key to Solanum groups (i.e., clades)

• Use this key to find out the Solanum group your plant belongs to and find the right species-level key to use.
• Group names come from the phylogenetic framework of Solanum published in Gagnon et al. (2022) and Särkinen et al. (2013).
• Start by learning how to use the key by reading a quick pdf guide. We advise testing the key with test specimens first - it helps!
• Cite as: "Solanum Key Consortium (year of access) Global key to Solanum groups. URL (web address) of Xper3 key (https://app.xper3.fr/xper3GeneratedFiles/publish/identification/36464820...)"
• To alert us to mistakes or to give us feedback please contact Tiina Särkinen (tsarkinen@rbge.org.uk) or Sandra Knapp (s.knapp@nhm.ac.uk)
  Contributors to the Solanum Key Consortium include (in alphabetical order by surname): Xavier Aubriot, Gloria Barboza, Lynn Bohs, Franco E. Chiarini, Rocío Deanna, Leandro Giacomin, Yuri Gouvêa, Rebecca Hilgenhof, Sandra Knapp, Chris Martine, Andres Orejuela, Clara Ines Orozco, Iris E. Peralta, Tiina Särkinen, João R. Stehmann, Eric Tepe
• Photographs used in the key were contributed by (in alphabetical order by surname): Pedro Acevedo Rodríguez, Gloria E. Barboza, Michael Benedito, Gabriel Beltrán, Lynn Bohs, Asunción Cano, Franco Chiarini, John L. Clark, Max Coleman, Rocio Deanna, Martin Gardner, Leandro Giacomin, Paul Gonzales, Mariano Gorostiza Salazar, Yuri Gouvêa, David Goyder, William Haber, Paulina Hechenleitner, Rebecca Hilgenhof, Bente Klitgaard, Gwilym Lewis, Chris Martine, Alex Monro, Michael Nee, Patricio Novoa Quezada, Pieter Pelser, Sandra Knapp, David Rae, Tony Rebelo, David Spooner, João R. Stehmann, Stephen Stern, Eric Tepe, Juan D. Tovar, Mario Vallejo-Marín, Maria Vorontsova, Kim Watson, John R.I. Wood, Dani Zamir

Global key to all non-spiny Solanum species and spiny species of Africa and tropical Asia

• Use this key to identify your species. The key covers all non-spiny species from across the World, and all spiny species from Africa and tropical Asia. If you have a spiny specimen from South America or other areas not covered by this key, see our list below of previously published dichotomous species-level keys (listed by group in alphabetical order).
• Includes species of the wild tomato (Tomato group), wild Potato (Petota group), African Non-Spiny, Anarrhichomenum, Archaeosolanum, Articulatum, Basarthrum, Dulcamaroid, Etuberosum, Herpystichum, Morelloid, Normania, Oxycoccoides, Pteroidea, Regmandra, Valdiviense, and Thelopodium clades, as well as all spiny species of Africa, Madagascar, and tropical Asia (excluding New Guinea, and the lowlands of Nepal and Bhutan)
• Start by learning how to use the key by reading a quick pdf guide. We advise testing the key with test specimens first - it helps!
• Cite as: "Solanum Key Consortium (year of access) Global key to all non-spiny species of Solanum and all spiny species of Africa and tropical Asia. URL (web address) of Xper3 key (https://app.xper3.fr/xper3GeneratedFiles/publish/identification/-3915026...)"
• To alert us to mistakes or to give us feedback please contact Tiina Särkinen (tsarkinen@rbge.org.uk) or Sandra Knapp (s.knapp@nhm.ac.uk)
• Contributors to the Solanum Key Consortium include (in alphabetical order by surname): Xavier Aubriot, Gloria Barboza, Lynn Bohs, Franco E. Chiarini, Rocío Deanna, Leandro Giacomin, Yuri Gouvêa, Rebecca Hilgenhof, Sandra Knapp, Chris Martine, Andres Orejuela, Clara Ines Orozco, Iris E. Peralta, Tiina Särkinen, João R. Stehmann, Eric Tepe
  Photographs used in the key were contributed by (in alphabetical order by surname): Pedro Acevedo Rodríguez, Gloria E. Barboza, Michael Benedito, Gabriel Beltrán, Lynn Bohs, Asunción Cano, Franco Chiarini, John L. Clark, Max Coleman, Rocio Deanna, Martin Gardner, Leandro Giacomin, Paul Gonzales, Mariano Gorostiza Salazar, Yuri Gouvêa, David Goyder, William Haber, Paulina Hechenleitner, Rebecca Hilgenhof, Bente Klitgaard, Gwilym Lewis, Chris Martine, Alex Monro, Michael Nee, Patricio Novoa Quezada, Pieter Pelser, Sandra Knapp, David Rae, Tony Rebelo, David Spooner, João R. Stehmann, Stephen Stern, Eric Tepe, Juan D. Tovar, Mario Vallejo-Marín, Maria Vorontsova, Kim Watson, John R.I. Wood, Dani Zamir

Key to African Solanum (all species, native and introduced) 

• Knapp et al. (2019) Dichotomous keys to the species of Solanum L. (Solanaceae) in continental Africa, Madagascar (incl. the Indian Ocean islands), Macaronesia and the Cape Verde Islands. PhytoKeys 127: 39-76.

Key to Acanthophora group 

• Global key: under construction by Franco Chiarini and Sandy Knapp.
• Overview: Levin et al. (2005) A four-gene study of evolutionary relationships in Solanum section Acanthophora. American Journal of Botany 92: 603-612. 
• Key to species with flattened or winged seeds from Brazil and Argentina: Chiarini & Mentz (2012) A new species of Solanum sect. Acanthophora (Solanaceae) from Argentina and Brazil. PhytoKeys 18: 1-10

Key to African Non-Spiny group   

• Included in the Global multi-access key to Thelopodium & Clade I
• Global key: Knapp & Vorontsova (2016) A revision of the “African Non-Spiny” Clade of Solanum L. (Solanum sections Afrosolanum Bitter, Benderianum Bitter, Lemurisolanum Bitter, Lyciosolanum Bitter, Macronesiotes Bitter, and Quadrangulare Bitter: Solanaceae). PhytoKeys 66: 1–142.

Key to Allophyllum group 

• Global key: Bohs (1990) Systematics of Solanum section Allophyllum (Solanaceae). Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden 77: 398-409.

Key to Anarrhichomenum group 

• Included in the Global multi-access key to Thelopodium & Clade I
• Global key: under construction by Eric Tepe.
• Overview: Tepe et al. (2016). Relationships among wild relatives of the tomato, potato, and pepino. Taxon 65: 262-276. 

Key to Androceras group 

• Global key: Stern et al. (2014) New species and combinations in Solanum section Androceras (Solanaceae). Journal of the Botanical Research Institute of Texas 8: 1-7.
• Overview: Whalen (1979) Taxonomy of Solanum section Androceras. Gentes Herbarum 11: 359-426.

Key to Anomalostemon group 

• The "group" currently consists of a single species: Knapp & Nee (2009) Solanum anomalostemon (Solanaceae), an endangered new species from southern Peru with unusal anther morphology. Novon 19: 178-181.

Archaeosolanum group 

• Included in the Global multi-access key to Thelopodium & Clade I
• Global key: Symon (1994) Kangaroo Apples (Solanum sect. Archaesolanum). State Herbarium of South Australia, Adelaide.

Articulatum group  

• Included in the Global multi-access key to Thelopodium & Clade I
• Overview: Tepe et al. (2016). Relationships among wild relatives of the tomato, potato, and pepino. Taxon 65: 262-276.

Asterophorum group 

• Global key: Gouvêa & Stehmann (2019) A revision of the Solanum asterophorum species group (sugb. Leptostemonum). Systematic Botany 44: 210-232. 

Bahamense group 

• Global key: Strickland-Constable et al. (2010) Species identity in the Solanum bahamense species group (Solanaceae, Solanum subgenus Leptostemonum). Taxon 59: 209-226. 

Basarthrum group 

• Included in the Global multi-access key to Thelopodium & Clade I
• Global key: not yet under construction, the group is not being actively worked on. Recent material collected in Peru indicates there are new species remaining to be described in this group.
• Overview: Tepe et al. (2016). Relationships among wild relatives of the tomato, potato, and pepino. Taxon 65: 262-276.
• Small key to some species: Anderson (1975) The variation and evolution of selected species of Solanum section Basarthrum. Brittonia 27: 209-222.

Brevantherum group 

• Global key: under construction by Leandro Giacomin.
• Overview: Roe (2072). A revision of Solanum section Brevantherum (Solanaceae). Brittonia 24: 239-278. 

​Campechiense group 

• The "group" currently consists of a single species (S. campechiense)
• Overview: Stern et al. (2011) Molecular delimitation of clades within New World species of the ‘spiny solanums’ (Solanum subg. Leptostemonum). Taxon 60: 1429-1441.

Carolinense group  

• Global key: Wahlert et al. (2015) A revision of Solanum section Lathyrocarpum (the Carolinense clade, Solanaceae). Systematic Botany 40: 853-887. 

Crinitum group 

• Global key: under construction by Frank Farrugia et al.
• Key to extra-Amazonian Brazilian species: Gouvêa et al. (2019) Solanum medusa (Solanaceae), a new wolf-fruit from Brazil, and a key to the extra-Amazonian Brazilian Androceras/Crinitum clade species. PhytoKeys 118: 15-32. 
• Key to Andean species: Farrugia & Bohs (2010) Two new South American species of Solanum section Crinitum (Solanaceae). PhytoKeys 1: 67-77.

Cyphomandra (Pachyphylla) group 

• Global key: Bohs (1994) Cyphomandra (Solanaceae). Flora Neotropica 63: 1-175.
• Name transfers from Cyphomandra to Solanum: Bohs (1995) Transfer of Cyphomandra (Solanaceae) and its species to Solanum. Taxon 44: 583-587. 
• Overview: Bohs (2007) Phylogeny of the Cyphomandra clade of the genus Solanum (Solanaceae) based on ITS sequence data. Taxon 56: 1012-1026.

Cyphomandropsis group 

• Global key: Bohs (2001) Revision of Solanum section Cyphomandropsis (Solanaceae). Systematic Botany Monographs 61: 1-85.
• Overview: Bohs (2007) Phylogeny of the Cyphomandra clade of the genus Solanum (Solanaceae) based on ITS sequence data. Taxon 56: 1012-1026.

Dulcamaroid group 

• Included in the Global multi-access key to Thelopodium & Clade I
• Global key: Knapp (2013) A revision of the Dulcamaroid Clade of Solanum L. (Solanaceae). PhytoKeys 22: 1-432. 

​Elaeagnifolium group 

• Global key: Knapp et al. (2017) A revision of the Solanum elaeagnifolium clade (Elaeagnifolium clade; subgenus Leptostemonum, Solanaceae). PhytoKeys 84: 1-104. 

Erythrotrichum group 

• Global key: Agra (2008) Four new species of Solanum section Erythrotrichum (Solanaceae) from Brazil and Peru, and a key to the species of the section. Systematic Botany 33: 556-565.
• Overview: Agra (2004) Sinopse taxonômica de Solanum sect. Erythrotrichum (Solanaceae). Pp. 192–211 in: Rangel-C, Aguirre, Andrade-C & Cañas (eds.), Memorias Octavo Congresso Latinoamericano e Segundo Colombiano de Botánica. Bogotá: Universidad Nacional de Colombia.

Etuberosum group 

• Included in the Global multi-access key to Thelopodium & Clade I
• Global key: Contreras-M & Spooner et al. (1999) Revision of Solanum section Etuberosum (subgenus Potatoe). In Nee, Symon, Lester & Jessop (eds.), Solanaceae IV, pp. 227-245. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. 
• Global key (updated): Spooner et al. (2017) Taxonomy of wild potatoes and their relatives in southern South America (Solanum sects. Petota and Etuberosum). Systematic Botany Monographs 100: 1-236. 

Euacanthum group 

• The "group" currently consists of a single species (S. euacanthum)

Gardneri group 

• Global key: under construction.
• Overview: Stern et al. (2011) Molecular delimitation of clades within New World species of the ‘spiny solanums’ (Solanum subg. Leptostemonum). Taxon 60: 1429-1441.

Geminata group 

• Global key: Knapp (2008) A revision of the Solanum havanense species group and new taxonomic additions to the Geminata clade (Solanum, Solanaceae). Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden 95: 405-458. 
• Key to Brazilian species: Knapp et al. (2015) New species, additions and a key to the Brazilian species of the Geminata clade of Solanum L. (Solanaceae) in Brazil. PhytoKeys 47: 1-48.

Gonatotrichum group 

• Global key: Stern et al. (2013) A revision of Solanum section Gonatotrichum. Systematic Botany 38: 471-496.

Herpystichum group 

• Included in the Global multi-access key to Thelopodium & Clade I
• Global key: Tepe & Bohs (2011) A revision of Solanum section Herpystichum. Systematic Botany 36: 1068-1087.

Inornatum group 

• Global key: Giacomin et al. (2014) Three new species of Solanum (Brevantherum clade) endemic to the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. PhytoKeys 38: 69-87.

Lasiocarpa group 

• Global key: Whalen et al. (1981) Taxonomy of Solanum section Lasiocarpa. Gentes Herbarum 12: 41-129.
• Overview: Bohs (2004) A chloroplast phylogeny of Solanum section Lasiocarpa. Systematic Botany 29: 177-187.

Micracantha group 

• Global key: under construction by Stephen Stern
• Overview: Stern et al. (2011) Molecular delimitation of clades within New World species of the ‘spiny solanums’ (Solanum subg. Leptostemonum). Taxon 60: 1429-1441.

Morelloid group 

• Included in the Global multi-access key to Thelopodium & Clade I
• Key to Old World: Särkinen et al. (2018) A revision of the Old World Black Nightshades (Morelloid clade of Solanum L., Solanaceae). PhytoKeys 106: 1-223.
• Key to North and Central America and the Caribbean: Knapp et al. (2019) A revision of the Morelloid Clade of Solanum L. (Solanaceae) in North and Central America and the Caribbean. PhytoKeys 123: 1-144.
• Key to Argentina: Barboza et al. (2013) Solanum Grupo VII. Moreloide. In: Barboza (coord.), Flora Argentina: Flora vascular de la Republica Argentina, Vol. 13, pp. 231–264. San Isidro: Instituto de Botanica Darwinion.
• Overview: Särkinen et al. (2015) True Black nightshades: Phylogeny and delimitation of the Morelloid clade of Solanum. Taxon 64: 945-958.

Multispinum group 

• The "group" currently consists of a single species (S. multispinum)
• Overview: Stern et al. (2011) Molecular delimitation of clades within New World species of the ‘spiny solanums’ (Solanum subg. Leptostemonum). Taxon 60: 1429-1441.

Nemorense group 

• Global key: Child (1983) Taxonomic studies in Solanum L. 1. Section Nemorense Child, section nova. Feddes Repertorium 94: 35-42.

Normania group 

• Included in the Global multi-access key to Thelopodium & Clade I
• Overview: Bohs & Olmstead (2001) A reassessment of Normania and Triguera (Solanaceae). Plant Systematics & Evolution 228: 33-48. 

​Old World Leptostemonum group(s) 

• Overview: Whalen (1984) Conspectus of species groups in Solanum subgenus Leptostemonum. Gentes Herbarum 12: 179-282.
• Key to African and Malagasy species: Vorontsova & Knapp (2016) A revision of the ‘Spiny Solanums’, Solanum subgenus Leptostemonum (Solanaceae), in Africa and Madagascar. Systematic Botany Monographs 100: 1-432.
• Key to Australian species: Symon (1981) A revision of the genus Solanum in Australia. Journal of Adelaide Botanical Gardens 4: 1-367.
• Key to Queensland species: Bean (2004) The taxonomy and ecology of Solanum subg. Leptostemonum (Dunal) Bitter (Solanaceae) in Queensland and far north-eastern New South Wales, Australia. Austrobaileya 6: 639-816.
• Key to New Guinean species: Symon (1985) The Solanaceae of New Guinea. Journal of Adelaide Botanical Gardens 8: 1-171.
• Key to Eggplant clade: Knapp et al. (2013) Wild relatives of the eggplant (Solanum melongena L.: Solanaceae): New understanding of species names in a Complex Group. PLoS ONE 8: e57039.
• Key to Echinatum clade: Bean (2012) A taxonomic revision of the Solanum echinatum group (Solanaceae). Phytotaxa 57: 33-50.
• Key to Asian species: under construction by Xavier Aubriot and Sandy Knapp, see overview in Aubriot et al. (2016) Tropical Asian species show that the Old World ‘spiny solanums’ (Solanum subgenus Leptostemonum pro parte: Solanaceae) is not monophyletic. Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society 181: 199-223.
• Revision of Petrophilum complex with recently described species: Bean (2016) The Solanum petrophilum complex (Solanaceae) revised, with the description of three new species. Journal of the Adelaide Botanic Gardens 29: 23-36.

Oxycoccoides group 

• The "group" currently consists of a single species and has been treated as part of a larger work on the Potato clade: Tepe et al. (2016). Relationships among wild relatives of the tomato, potato, and pepino. Taxon 65: 262-276. 

Petota group 

• Included in the Global multi-access key to Thelopodium & Clade I
• Overview: Spooner et al. (2014) Systematics, diversity, genetics, and evolution of wild and cultivated Potatoes. Botanical Review 80: 283-383.
• Key to the cultivated species: Ovchinnikova et al. (2011) Taxonomy of cultivated potatoes (Solanum section Petota: Solanaceae). Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society 165: 107-155.
• Key to southern South America: Spooner et al. (2016) Taxonomy of wild potatoes and their relatives in southern South America (Solanum sects. Petota and Etuberosum). Systematic Botany Monographs 100: 1-238. 
• Key to northern South America: Spooner & Jansky (2019) Taxonomy of wild potatoes in northern South America (Solanum section Petota). Systematic Botany Monographs 108: 1-305. 
• Key to North & Central America: Spooner et al. (2004) Wild potatoes (Solanum section Petota: Solanaceae) of North and Central America. Systematic Botany Monographs 68: 1-209. 

Polygamum group 

• The "group" currently consists of a single species (S. polygamum)
• Overview: Stern et al. (2011) Molecular delimitation of clades within New World species of the ‘spiny solanums’ (Solanum subg. Leptostemonum). Taxon 60: 1429-1441.

Pteroidea group 

• Included in the Global multi-access key to Thelopodium & Clade I
• Global key: Knapp & Helgason (1997) A revision of Solanum section Pteroidea: Solanaceae. Bulletin of Natural History Museum London (Botany) 27: 31-73.

Reductum group 

• The group currently consists of two species, one of which (S. delitescens) was previously treated as belonging the Geninata clade by Knapp (2008) A revision of the Solanum havanense species group and new taxonomic additions to the Geminata clade (Solanum, Solanaceae). Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden 95: 405-458.

Regmandra group 

• Included in the Global multi-access key to Thelopodium & Clade I
• Global key: Bennett (2008) Revision of Solanum section Regmandra (Solanaceae). Edinburgh Journal of Botany 65: 69-112.

Sisymbrifolium group 

• A group of two species (S. sisymbrifolium, S. hasslerianum) treated in Chiarini (2013) Grupo IV. Leptostemonum. In: Barboza (coord.), Flora Argentina: Flora vascular de la Republica Argentina, Vol. 13, pp. 231–264. San Isidro: Instituto de Botanica Darwinion.
• Overview: Stern et al. (2011) Molecular delimitation of clades within New World species of the ‘spiny solanums’ (Solanum subg. Leptostemonum). Taxon 60: 1429-1441.

Thelopodium group 

• Included in the Global multi-access key to Thelopodium & Clade I
• Global key: Knapp (2000) A revision of Solanum thelopodium species group (section Anthoresis sensu Seithe, pro parte): Solanaceae. Bulletin of Natural History Museum London (Botany) 30: 13-30.

Thomasiifolium group 

• Global key: under construction by Yuri Gouvêa
• Overview: Stern et al. (2011) Molecular delimitation of clades within New World species of the ‘spiny solanums’ (Solanum subg. Leptostemonum). Taxon 60: 1429-1441.

Tomato group 

• Included in the Global multi-access key to Thelopodium & Clade I
• Global key: Peralta et al. (2008) Taxonomy of wild tomatoes and their relatives (Solanum sect. Lycopersicoides, sect. Juglandifolia, sect. Lycopersicon; Solanaceae). Systematic Botany Monographs 84: 1-192. 

​Torva group 

• Global key under construction.
• Overview: Stern et al. (2011) Molecular delimitation of clades within New World species of the ‘spiny solanums’ (Solanum subg. Leptostemonum). Taxon 60: 1429-1441.

Trachytrichium group 

• Two woody species from Brazil, related to the Geminata group (Giacomin, in prep.)
• Previously in part (S. trachytrichium) treated as part of the Geminata group: Knapp (2008) A revision of the Solanum havanense species group and new taxonomic additions to the Geminata clade (Solanum, Solanaceae). Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden 95: 405-458; both species treated as part of the Geminata clade in Brazil : Knapp et al. (2015) New species, additions and a key to the Brazilian species of the Geminata clade of Solanum L. (Solanaceae) in Brazil. PhytoKeys 47: 1–48.

Valdiviense group 

• Included in the Global multi-access key to Thelopodium & Clade I 
• Previously treated as members of the Dulcamaroid group: Knapp (2013) A revision of the Dulcamaroid Clade of Solanum L. (Solanaceae). PhytoKeys 22: 1-432.

Wendlandii group 

• Global key: Clark et al. (2015) A Revision of Solanum section Aculeigerum (the Solanum wendlandii group, Solanaceae). Systematic Botany 40: 1102-1136. 
• Overview: Whalen (1984) Conspectus of species groups in Solanum subgenus Leptostemonum. Gentes Herbarum 12: 179-282.