![Ca phao](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a9/Ca_phao.jpg)
''Solanum macrocarpon'' otherwise known as the African eggplant (
Yoruba
The Yoruba people (, , ) are a West African ethnic group that mainly inhabit parts of Nigeria, Benin, and Togo. The areas of these countries primarily inhabited by Yoruba are often collectively referred to as Yorubaland. The Yoruba constitute ...
: Igba) (Igbo language/ Igbo): añara), Surinamese eggplant (
Sranang Tongo: Antroewa) or Vietnamese eggplant (
Vietnamese
Vietnamese may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to Vietnam, a country in Southeast Asia
** A citizen of Vietnam. See Demographics of Vietnam.
* Vietnamese people, or Kinh people, a Southeast Asian ethnic group native to Vietnam
** Overse ...
: cà pháo) is a plant of the family
Solanaceae
The Solanaceae , or nightshades, are a family of flowering plants that ranges from annual and perennial herbs to vines, lianas, epiphytes, shrubs, and trees, and includes a number of agricultural crops, medicinal plants, spices, weeds, and orn ...
. ''S. macrocarpon'' is a tropical perennial plant that is closely related to the
eggplant
Eggplant ( US, Canada), aubergine ( UK, Ireland) or brinjal (Indian subcontinent, Singapore, Malaysia, South Africa) is a plant species in the nightshade family Solanaceae. ''Solanum melongena'' is grown worldwide for its edible fruit.
Mos ...
.
''S. macrocarpon'' originated from West Africa, but is now widely distributed in Central and East Africa. The plant also grows in the Caribbean, South America, and some parts of Southeast Asia.
''S. macrocarpon'' is widely cultivated for its use as a food, its medicinal purposes, and as an ornamental plant.
Description
![Solanum macrocarpon1](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/77/Solanum_macrocarpon1.jpg)
''Solanum macrocarpon'' can grow to a height of 1-1.5 m. It has an alternate leaf pattern with the blade width of 4–15 cm and a height of 10–30 cm. The shapes of the leaves are oval and lobed with a wavy margin. Both sides of the leaves are hairy with stellate or simple hairs. Prickles may or may not be present on the leaves depending on the cultivar. When prickles are present they are found more along the midrib and lateral veins. The prickles are straight and can grow up to a length of 13 mm. The flowers have a diameter of 3–8 cm and are located on short stalked inflorescence that can contain 2 to 7 flowers. The lower portion of the plant carries bisexual flowers while the upper portion contains male flowers. The flowers are 2-3.5 cm in length and usually have a purple or pale purple color, on rare occasions there are white flowers.
The fruits are round, the top and the bottom are flattened out and have grooved portions with a length of 5–7 cm and a width of 7–8 cm.
The stalk of the fruit is 1–4 cm long and is either de-curved or erect. At a young stage the color of the fruit is green, ivory, or a purple and white color with dark stripes. When ripe, the fruit turns yellow or a yellow-brown. The fruit contains many seeds and it is partly covered by the calyx lobes. The seeds have a length of 3-4.5 mm, a width of 2-3.5 mm, and are shaped in an obivoid or reniform.
Cultivars in Vietnam have fruit of 1.5 inches in diameter, looking similar to a golf ball with a stem. The color can be medium green, pale green, or white with green stripes.
Ecology
''Solanum macrocarpon'' has a large variety of cultivars. It grows in areas of high rainfall found in the tropical and humid regions of West and Central Africa, South-East Asia, South America and the Caribbean. Some cultivars can be found in the savanna and semi-arid region of Northern Ghana, Burkina Faso and their neighboring countries. The cultivars grown there consist of plants with small leaves and fruit. The fruit cultivars are only able to grow in humid coastal areas. ''S. macrocarpon'' can occasionally be found at higher altitudes but have a slower growth rate and are more robust. ''S. macrocarpon'' reproduces mostly by self-pollination. Out crossing occurs by bees and other insects, but at low frequencies. The flowers open early in the morning, while still dark. The stigma becomes receptive a few hours before the flower opens, and remains open for two days. The fruits are ready for picking 3–4 weeks after the fruit has set, but it takes about 10 weeks for the fruits to ripen. Germination typically begins a week after sowing. Flowering does not occur until 2–3 months after germination. ''S. macrocarpon'' that resides in the savannahs have an earlier flowering period compared to plants that reside in areas with high amounts of rainfall. The savannah cultivars are also more resistant to drought.
Consumption
Nutrition
''Solanum macrocarpon'' is consumed in the various regions of the world where it is found. The parts of the plant that is consumed are the fruits and its young leaves. While taste of both the leaves and the fruit are very bitter they have a high nutrient yield.
The fruit's crunchy texture and mild flavor make it unique. It can be consumed raw without removing the skin. Typically, the Vietnamese eggplant has a slightly bitter taste, but the bitterness may become stronger when the eggplant is over-ripe. The Vietnamese eggplant is very neutral smelling when raw, and develops an earthy scent when cooked. Vietnamese eggplants are used in Vietnamese cuisine in stir fries, soups and salads. They are also eaten raw or pickled.
Medicinal
The roots, leaves, and fruit of ''S. macrocarpon'' contain medicinal qualities. In
Nigeria
Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf o ...
, the fruit is used as a laxative, and as a means to treat cardiac diseases. The flowers are chewed on to clean teeth. In Sierra Leone the leaves are heated and then are chewed to ease throat pain. In Kenya the roots are boiled and the juice is then consumed to kill any hookworms in the stomach.
The root is also used for bronchitis, body aches, asthma, and speed up the process of healing wounds. The seeds of ''S. macrocarpon'' crushed to treat toothaches.
Promising
molluscicidal
Molluscicides () – also known as snail baits, snail pellets, or slug pellets – are pesticides against molluscs, which are usually used in agriculture
Agriculture or farming is the practice of cultivating plants and livestock. Agricul ...
and
schistosomicidal activities were displayed for the ''S. macrocarpon'' extracts and fractions which are attributed to the glycoalkaloid content.
Toxicity
Aside from the fruit, every other part of ''S. macrocarpon'' has been reported to cause
heart failure
Heart failure (HF), also known as congestive heart failure (CHF), is a syndrome, a group of signs and symptoms caused by an impairment of the heart's blood pumping function. Symptoms typically include shortness of breath, excessive fatigue, a ...
, digestive problems, and lethargy in dogs.
Because ''S. macrocarpon'' is part of the family Solanaceae, it contains alkaloids, giving the plant and fruit its bitter taste. Consuming the plant in large frequencies may potentially be poisonous.
''S. macrocarpon'' contains
glycoalkaloid
Glycoalkaloids are a family of chemical compounds derived from alkaloids to which sugar groups are appended. Several are potentially toxic, most notably the poisons commonly found in the plant species ''Solanum dulcamara'' (bittersweet nightshade) ...
s and the levels found in the fruit were 5-10 times higher than what is considered safe, and may not be safe for humans to eat.
See also
*
Lao eggplant
The Lao eggplant ( lo, ໝາກເຂືອ ), also known as Lao aubergine, is a local variety of eggplant found in Laos and used primarily in Lao cuisine. Common cultivar types in Laos are Lao Green Stripe, Lao Purple Stripe, Lao Lavender, a ...
*
Thai eggplant
Thai eggplant ( th, มะเขือ, ') is the name for several varieties of eggplant used in Southeast Asian cuisines, most often of the eggplant species ''Solanum melongena''. They are also cultivated in India and Sri Lanka and feature in ...
*
Tomatillo
The tomatillo (''Physalis philadelphica'' and ''Physalis ixocarpa''), also known as the Mexican husk tomato, is a plant of the nightshade family bearing small, spherical, and green or green-purple fruit of the same name. Tomatillos originated ...
References
External reference
''Solanum incanum'' L., Prota database
{{Taxonbar, from=Q7479565
macrocarpon
Fruits originating in Africa