Solanum pseudolulo facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Solanum pseudolulo |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Solanum
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| Species: |
pseudolulo
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Solanum pseudolulo is a plant that grows in warm, subtropical areas, mainly in northwestern South America. It's a perennial plant, meaning it lives for more than two years. This plant can be a large herb or a small shrub. Its leaves are shaped like hearts. Both the leaves and stems are covered in short hairs. The whole plant often has sharp spines, too!
People sometimes call this plant lulo de perro. It grows fruit that you can eat, but farmers don't often grow it on purpose. Instead, it often grows like a weed in places with medium height, like in Colombia and Ecuador.
Most people think its fruit isn't as good as the fruit from the "true lulo," which is also called naranjilla. But you can sometimes find Solanum pseudolulo fruit sold in markets. People usually don't mind if it grows in their gardens. Unlike the naranjilla, this plant likes sunny places better.
About the Fruit
The fruit of Solanum pseudolulo is a big berry. When it's not ripe, it's green. As it gets ripe, it turns yellow or yellow-orange. Inside, the fruit has orange or yellow flesh. This flesh is full of many small seeds. The outside of the fruit is covered with hairs. These hairs fall off when the fruit is ready to eat. Some plant scientists think that Solanum pseudolulo could be a good plant to grow for its fruit in the future.
Plant Family and Relatives
The Solanum pseudolulo plant belongs to a big group of plants called the Solanum genus. Within this group, it's part of a smaller family called the Lasiocarpa clade. Other plants in this same family include S. candidum, S. hyporhodium, S. lasiocarpum, S. felinum, S. quitoense, S. repandum, and S. vestissimum.
Many of these related plants also have spines and short hairs. They often have leaves that look similar. A lot of them grow fruit that you can eat. It's even possible for these different plants to mix and create new kinds of plants!
See also
In Spanish: Solanum pseudolulo para niños
