Solanum mauritianum Scop.

Habit: Shrub

Shrub or small trees, 2-4 m tall, branched above to form a rounded canopy, unarmed, all parts densely pubescent with sessile to long-stalked stellate hairs, loose and floccose on young growth. Leaves paler on lower surface, simple, alternate, elliptic, up to 30 x 12 cm on young vigorous growth, usually ca. 18 x. 6 cm on mature stems, margings entire, apex acuminate, base cuneate, often oblique, petioles 3-9 cm long, each with 1 or 2 smaller auriculate leaves in axils which are sessile, rounded, sometime absent. Flowers numerous in branched corymbs; peduncles up to 15 cm long; pedicels 2-3 mm long. Calyx tube short, 2-3 mm long, lobes narrowly triangular, 1-2mm long. Corolla lilac blue with a pale star-shaped area at base, stellate, 1.5-2.5 cm in diam. Stamens 5, inserted low on corolla tube; filaments ca. 1 mm long; anthers oblong, 2-3.5 mm long, opening by terminal pores. Ovary densely pubescent; lower part of style pubescent, 5-7 mm long; stigma green, terminal. Berries dull yellowish, succulent, globose, 1-1.5 cm in diam., pubescent at least in early stages; seeds numerous, flattened, 1.5-2 mm long, testa minutely reticulate.

Karnataka: Belgaum, Chikmagalur, Coorg, Dharwar, Hassan, Mysore, N. Kanara, Shimoga