Solanum giganteum

Solanum giganteum, the healing-leaf tree, is a branched shrub or small tree of up to 5 m (SA Tree List No. 669.4). The new foliage is nearly white from a dense covering of short white hairs. This hairy feature on the upper surfaces of the leaves may be soon lost as the contrast between big and small leaves in picture shows. Leaves are spirally arranged, elliptic in shape and quite large, measuring around 23 cm in length and 9 cm in width. The leaf margin is entire, tapering gradually to both base and tip. Leaf midribs and lateral veins are prominent on the lower surfaces.

Leaves have been used in dressing open sores in traditional medicine. The fruits have also been used medicinally.

S. giganteum grows in shaded woodland and on mountain slopes among rocks and thickets. Its distribution covers the eastern coastal and north-eastern inland parts of South Africa and is also found widespread across tropical Africa (Coates Palgrave, 2002; Van Wyk and Van Wyk, 1997).