View source for Solanum aculeastrum

{{Taxobox
| color = lightgreen
| name = ''Solanum aculeastrum''
| regnum = [[Plant]]ae
| divisio = [[Magnoliophyta]]
| classis = [[Magnoliopsida]]
| subclassis = [[Asteridae]]
| ordo = [[Solanales]]
| familia = [[Solanaceae]]
| genus = ''[[Solanum]]''
| species = '''''S. aculeastrum'''''
| binomial = ''Solanum aculeastrum''
| binomial_authority = [[Dunal]]
}}

'''''Solanum aculeastrum''''', the '''Sodaapple nightshade''', '''goat-apple''', '''bitter-apple''', or '''poison apple''', is a [[shrub]] or small [[tree]] native to tropical [[Africa]] south to [[South Africa]], in a wide range of soil, terrain and climatic conditions. It is highly-branched and reaches 1-5 m high, with numerous sharp hooked brown [[Spine (biology)|thorns]]. The [[leaf|leaves]] are ovate, up to 15 cm long and 13 cm broad, with lobed margins and a downy underside. It [[flower]]s (in South Africa) from September to July, peaking from November to March. The petals are white to pale violet surrounding the ovary. These yield to [[fruit]] from April to January, peaking in June and November. These smooth, round [[berry|berries]] are 6 cm in diameter and fade from green to yellow as they ripen. These berries contain high levels of the poisonous alkaloid [[solanine]]. The species name ''aculeastrum'' refers to the thorns that adorn most parts of the shrub.