Solanum lyratum （白英）

[jackied]

Physical Characteristics
Vines herbaceous, much branched, 0.5-3 m tall, villous overall with elongate, many-celled hairs more than 2 mm，eaf blade elliptic or lyrate, 3-11 × 2-6 cm, base cordate or hastate, margin entire or 3-5-parted, apex acuminate. Inflorescences axillary, extra-axillary, or appearing terminal, sparsely pubescent; lobes rounded. Corolla blue-purple or white, 5-8 × 10 mm; lobes elliptic-lanceolate, ca. 4 × 2 mm, usually reflexed, puberulent at apex. Filaments ca. 0.8-1 mm; anthers free, oblong, 2.8-3.2 mm. Style glabrous, 6-8 mm. Fruiting pedicel sparsely pubescent, usually curved. Berry red or red-black, globose, 7-9 mm in diam.

It is in flower from June to October, and the seeds ripen from October to November. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Insects.

The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and requires well-drained soil. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It requires moist soil.

Habitats
Woodland Garden; Sunny Edge; Dappled Shade。

Medicinal Uses
The whole plant is depurative and febrifuge. A decoction is used in the treatment of leucorrhoea, abscesses, cancer of the oesophagus and stomach, enlarged thyroid glands etc. The leaves are boiled with the mother's milk in order to treat babies nausea. The stems can be used as a medicine for treating convulsions in infants, whilst the branches and leaves are used for clearing away heat and cooling the blood.