Solanum incanum

Solanum incanum
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Asterids
Order:	Solanales
Family:	Solanaceae
Genus:	Solanum
Subgenus:	Solanum subg. Leptostemonum
Section:	Solanum sect. Melongena
Species:	S. incanum
Binomial name
	Solanum incanum; L.
Synonyms
	Solanum coagulans var. griseum Dunal ; Solanum floccosistellatum Bitter ; Solanum hierochuntinum Dunal ; Solanum hierochuntinum var. lanuginosum Dunal ; Solanum incanum var. brevitomentosum Bitter ; Solanum incanum subsp. horridescens Bitter ; Solanum incanum var. integrascens Bitter ; Solanum incanum var. kavirondoense Bitter ; Solanum incanum var. pluribaccatum Bitter ; Solanum incanum subsp. schoanum Bitter ; Solanum incanum var. unguiculatum (A.Rich.) Abedin, Al-Yahya, Chaudhary & J.S.Mossa ; Solanum sanctum L., nom. superfl. ; Solanum undulatum Poir. ; Solanum unguiculatum A.Rich. ;

Solanum incanum is a species of nightshade, a flowering plant in the family Solanaceae. It is native to East Africa, West Africa, the Middle East, and eastwards to India. The species was introduced to Taiwan and Vietnam.^[3]

Common names include thorn apple, bitter apple,^[1] bitterball^[4] and bitter tomato^[5]^[6] It may be confused with the similar S. linnaeanum where their ranges overlap in Africa. In ancient India, Solanum incanum was domesticated into the eggplant, Solanum melongena.^[7]^[8]^[9] In biblical literature, it is sometimes referred to as a "hedge of thorns" (Hebrew: מְשֻׂכַת חָדֶק).^[10]