Solanum africanum with pale flowers

The nodding or pendulous flowers of Solanum africanum are borne in terminal, branched clusters of sometimes more than 30 flowers per cluster. The calyx has short, dark, fleshy lobes.

Flower colour varies from mauve to purple or white. The corolla opens widely in a saucer-shape; five-lobed in a star-shape. The petals are broadly ovate and slightly wavy, tapering to acute tips. The five stamens are short, their thick yellow anthers grouped closely together around the base of the long white style. The anthers have vertical, lateral slits. The stigmas are dull green on the pale flowers in picture.

The fruits that follow are globose green berries that turn purplish black when ripe. They may become as large as 1,5 cm in diameter.

This plant was photographed near Arniston in January (Manning, 2007; iSpot).