Solanum is a large and diverse genus of flowering plants. The generic name was first used by Pliny the Elder (AD 23–79) for a plant also known as strychnos, most likely Solanum nigrum. Its derivation is uncertain, possibly stemming from the Latin word sol, meaning “sun”, referring to its status as a plant of the sun. Solanum kitagawae is a species native to Northeast Asia. Also known as Solanum borealisinense and Solanum depilatum. The species was named after Masao Kitagawa (1910-1995), a Japanese botanist and pteridologist. All parts of the plant are poisonous, containing solanine, which can cause convulsions and death. Solanine has pesticidal properties, and it is one of the plant’s natural defenses.
