Solanum campylacanthum subsp. panduriforme

Solanum campylacanthum subsp. panduriforme, commonly bitter apple or in Afrikaans gifappeltjie (little poison apple), is an erect shrub growing to 1 m in height from a deep rootstock. This plant used to be called S. panduriforme.

The stems are furry orange and usually without prickles but not always. Age turns the anthers brown as the withering corolla wrinkles and fades.

The species distribution ranges across all South African provinces except the Western Cape and the western part of the Eastern Cape. It also grows widespread in southern Africa.

The plants are likely to be seen on flood plains, termite mounds and disturbed land. The species is not considered to be threatened in its habitat early in the twenty first century (Pooley, 1998; Van Wyk and Malan, 1997; iSpot; http://redlist.sanbi.org).