Solanum chilense

Description

Vegetative characteristics

Solanum chilense is an erect or decumbent, perennial, 0.5–1.5 m tall, and 1–4 m wide herb with a woody base. The grayish stems become woody at the base and reach a diameter of 8 to. The dense, velvety coat consists of white, single row, non-glandular trichomes up to 0.5 mm in length and occasional short-row, glandular trichomes with four or achtzelligen heads.

The sympodial units have two (rarely three) leaves. The internodes are 1–2 (rarely 5) cm long. The leaves are broken imparipinnate, (often only 5 to) 7 to 13 (rarely to 20) cm long and (rarely 2) 2.5 to 6.5 (rarely to 10) cm wide. They are greyish green. The coat is similar to the stem, but with less glandular trichomes.

The sheath consists of five to seven pairs of bulk leaves which are narrowly elliptical in shape, a broad-pointed to pointed tip, and inclined to appear sessile.

Generative characteristics

The often terminal, 10–12-flowered inflorescence bears pedicellate, yellow, self-incompatible flowers with 5 petals. The anther tube is straight. The stigma is capitate. The globose, 1 cm wide, green, inedible fruits have white hairs.

Cytology

It is a diploid species. The chromosome count is n = 12.

Taxonomy

It was first described as Lycopersicum chilense by Michel Félix Dunal in 1852. It was placed into the genus Solanum as Solanum chilense by Karl Friedrich Reiche in 1910. It is placed into the section Solanum sect. Lycopersicon.

Etymology

The specific epithet chilense means from Chile.

Distribution and habitat

It is native to northern Chile, Galápagos, and Peru at altitudes of 0–3300 m above sea level. It is adapted to the harsh environmental conditions and salinity of the Atacama Desert. They grow in extremely dry, rocky areas and in coastal deserts. The flowers and fruits appear consistently throughout the year, but there is a noticeable increase in flowering between September and October.

Conservation

The IUCN conservation status is Least Concern (LC).

Use

It is used in plant breeding because it is resistant to disease, drought, salt, and cold.

References

References

1. ''Solanum chilense'' (Dunal) Reiche. (n.d.). Plants of the World Online. Retrieved December 28, 2025, from https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:818675-1
2. Knapp, S. & Gonzales Arce, P. 2020. ''Solanum chilense''. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2020: e.T101522185A101522188. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T101522185A101522188.en. Accessed on 28 December 2025.
3. Raduski, A. R., & Igić, B. (2021). [https://bsapubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/ajb2.1621 Biosystematic studies on the status of ''Solanum chilense''.] American Journal of Botany, 108(3), 520-537.
4. Candolle, Augustin Pyramus de, & Candolle, Alphonse de. (1824). Prodromus systematis naturalis regni vegetabilis, sive, Enumeratio contracta ordinum generum specierumque plantarum huc usque cognitarium, juxta methodi naturalis, normas digesta (Vol. 13, Issue 1, p. 24). Sumptibus Sociorum Treuttel et Würtz. https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/159506
5. ''Lycopersicum chilense'' Dunal. (n.d.). International Plant Names Index. Retrieved December 28, 2025, from https://www.ipni.org/n/816693-1
6. ''Solanum chilense'' (Dunal) Reiche. (n.d.-b). International Plant Names Index. Retrieved December 28, 2025, from https://www.ipni.org/n/818675-1
7. Charters, M. L. (n.d.). California Plant Names: Latin and Greek Meanings and Derivations An Annotated Dictionary of Botanical and Biographical Etymology. Calflora. Retrieved December 28, 2025, from https://www.calflora.net/botanicalnames/pageCA-CH.html
8. Bigot, S., Leclef, C., Rosales, C., Martínez, J. P., Lutts, S., & Quinet, M. (2023). [https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/horticulture/articles/10.3389/fhort.2023.1130702/pdf Comparison of the salt resistance of ''Solanum lycopersicum'' x ''Solanum chilense'' hybrids and their parents.] Frontiers in Horticulture, 2, 1130702.
9. Molitor, C., Kurowski, T. J., Fidalgo de Almeida, P. M., Kevei, Z., Spindlow, D. J., Chacko Kaitholil, S. R., ... & Mohareb, F. R. (2024). [https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/plant-science/articles/10.3389/fpls.2024.1342739/pdf A chromosome-level genome assembly of ''Solanum chilense'', a tomato wild relative associated with resistance to salinity and drought.] Frontiers in Plant Science, 15, 1342739.
10. Kole, C. (2011). [https://www.google.de/books/edition/Wild_Crop_Relatives_Genomic_and_Breeding/W0mgv1xAbXMC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=%22Solanum%20chilense%22&pg=PA174&printsec=frontcover Wild Crop Relatives: Genomic and Breeding Resources: Vegetables.] p. 174. Germany: Springer Berlin Heidelberg.
11. D’Agostino, N., Barone, A., & Rigano, M. M. (2021). [https://www.google.de/books/edition/The_Wild_Solanums_Genomes/oElEEAAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=%22Solanum%20chilense%22&pg=PA159&printsec=frontcover Knowledge on the Genomes of Wild Tomato Species is the Key to Unlocking Their Breeding Potential.] In The Wild Solanums Genomes (pp. 155-166). Cham: Springer International Publishing.