Katabegun or Jongli tomato, Sticky nightshade, solanum sisymbriifolium
Katabegun or Jongli tomato (solanum sisymbriifolium, family: solanaceae) is an annual viscid and spiny herb native to South America and is currently distributed throughout the world. The viscid, hairy and spiny bush is found near water bodies.
Common names: Jongli tomato, sticky nightshade, viscid nightshade, wild tomato.
Common names: Jongli tomato, sticky nightshade, viscid nightshade, wild tomato.
The erect herb (about 1 meter tall) acts as an invasive weed in some parts of its range by out-competing local vegetation.
Spiny leaves are ovate-lanceolate, 4-6 lobed, 40 cm long and 25 cm wide. The leaves are borne on petioles 1-6 cm long and are pubescent both above and below with stellate and glandular hairs.
The 5-parted flowers are white, light blue, or mauve, about 3 cm in diameter, and are subtended by a hairy calyx 5-6 mm long.
Vivid red, succulent, globular berries are edible, almost tastes like tomatoes; 12-20 mm in diameter with pale yellow seeds 2.9-3.2 mm long.
The fruit is used as oral contraceptives.
The plant is propagated by seeds.
