Solanum scabrifolium

Description

Solanum scabrifolium is a wild potato with a small distribution in Peru, where it grows in dry valleys between about 9,200 to 10,900 feet in elevation (2,800 to 3,000 m).  Plants are low growing, from a few inches tall to a bit more than two feet. Tubers white and moniliform, with multiple tubers along a single stolon.  Blue flowers and round berries.

The specific epithet, scabrifolium, means “rough leaves.”  It is formed from the Latin words “scaber,” for “rough,” and “folium,” for “leaf.”  While there is no completely standardized pronunciation for scientific names, the most common way to pronounce this species is probably so-LAY-num skab-ri-FO-lee-um.

Ochoa (2004) notes that the berries are called “shuructa,” which suggests that they might have some use.

 

Resistances

Vega (1995) found that this species was less frost resistant than the domesticated potato.

Condition Type Level of Resistance Source

Glykoalkaloid content

 

Images

Seedlings of the wild potato species Solanum scabrifolium
Solanum scabrifolium seedlings
Aerial plant of the wild potato species Solanum scabrifolium
Solanum scabrifolium plant
Aerial plant of the wild potato species Solanum scabrifolium
Solanum scabrifolium plant
Aerial plant of the wild potato species Solanum scabrifolium
Solanum scabrifolium plant
Aerial plant of the wild potato species Solanum scabrifolium
Solanum scabrifolium plant
Aerial plant of the wild potato species Solanum scabrifolium
Solanum scabrifolium plant
Aerial plant of the wild potato species Solanum scabrifolium
Solanum scabrifolium plant
Flower buds of the wild potato species Solanum scabrifolium
Solanum scabrifolium flower buds
Flower of the wild potato species Solanum scabrifolium
Solanum scabrifolium flower
Flower of the wild potato species Solanum scabrifolium
Solanum scabrifolium flower
Flowers of the wild potato species Solanum scabrifolium
Solanum scabrifolium flowers
Flowers of the wild potato species Solanum scabrifolium
Solanum scabrifolium flowers
Flower of the wild potato species Solanum scabrifolium
Solanum scabrifolium flower
Berry of the wild potato species Solanum scabrifolium
Solanum scabrifolium berry
Tubers of the wild potato species Solanum scabrifolium
Solanum scabrifolium tubers

Cultivation

I have found this species difficult to germinate, but only one accession is available, so I don’t know if that is a feature of the species or just the accession,

Accessions Evaluated

The following accessions were examined to prepare this profile.  I have evaluated 1/1 accessions currently available from the US potato genebank.

PI 365363

Low germination and slow growing seedlings.  The seedlings that survived did eventually begin to put on good growth.  I also got a second flush of germinations two months after sowing, so patience is rewarded with this accession.

Breeding

EBN has not been established for this species, but I have marked it provisionally as 1EBN.  Spooner (2010) shows that it groups closely with S. cajamarquense and S. mochiquense, both of which have 1EBN.

Crosses with S. tuberosum

Female Male Berry Set
 Seed Set Germ Ploidy Source

Crosses with other species

 

Female Male Berry Set
 Seed Set Germ Ploidy Source

References

Solanum scabrifolium at Solanaceae Source

Solanum scabrifolium at GRIN Taxonomy

Solanum scabrifolium at CIP