Solanum linnaeanum leaf

The leaf of Solanum linnaeanum is large with elaborately rounded lobes that alternate with deep incisions towards the midrib. There are usually smallish spines scattered along the leaf midribs as well as along the pale lines of the lateral leaf veins that serve the lobes, apart from the bigger spines scattered on the stems. The leaves become 15 cm long on sturdy petioles that also carry spines.

These lobed leaves contribute to the ease of identifying the species. While there are only about 15 indigenous species of Solanum in the fynbos, some exotics have arrived in the region from the worldwide species list of about 1400 possibles (Manning, 2007; Privett and Lutzeyer, 2010; iSpot).