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Solanum acerifolium
Solanum acerifolium (Dunal, 1816), is a species of small flowering shrub that belongs to the Solanaceae family, commonly known as the Nightshade family. The species description was first published by a French botanist, Michel Félix Dunal in 1816.

Plant Anatomy
S. acerifolium is a herbaceous plant that stands upright and is typically found reading heights between 0.5 to 3 meters in height, usually growing for a single stem but occasionally multiple coming from the base. Stems are pubescent with viscid-villous hairs and prickles that are straight and acicular. Acicular prickles appear densely armed along all parts of the stem. Prickles are usually 0.1 to 1.5 centimeters in length. Upper flowering branches usually carry fewer prickles and appear more glabrous except for the viscid-villous hairs.

Leaves
Leaves on S. acerifolium are around 5 to 18 centimeters long and 4 to 15 centimeters wide. Leaves can be single or in pairs. Leaves are broadly ovate or elliptic in shape and are usually 4-lobed with an acute apex. On both surfaces of the leaves are pubescent, and covered in viscid-villous hairs. Both surfaces of the leaves carry prickles along the major veins, similar in size to those found along the stems. The petioles of leaves measure 4 to 9 centimeters and have a pubescence similar to that of stems.

Inflorescence
Inflorescence found on the S. aceriolium is extra-axillary and unbranched measuring 0.6 to 4 centimeters. The inflorescence is characterized as a subumbellate raceme. Typically holding 3 to 10 flowers that develop 1 to 8 fruit. The peduncles are pubescent, similar to the stem with few prickles, less than 5 millimeters long, and sometimes absent. Peduncles measure from 0.5 to 3.5 centimeters and rachis of the inflorescence measure up to 1 centimeter long. The pedicles are 8 to 15 millimeters in length for the flower and 15 to 25 millimeters long for the fruit. The distal portion of the pedicles becomes thicker growing towards the fruit.

Flowers
Flowers found on the S. acerifolium have a calyx and corolla part perianth. The calyx is 2 to 4 millimeters long with deep triangular lobes. The corolla can be found greenish-yellow or brownish-yellow in colour, and are stellate in shape, 1 to 2 centimeters in diameter. The anthers of the flower are 5 millimeters long and taper to a point.

Fruit
The fruits found on S. acerifolium are shiny and globose with a viscid exterior. The fruit has a green and white marbled pattern and is 1 to 2 centimeters in diameter.

Seeds
A single fruit will hold around 60 seeds and are black, and flattened with winged margins. Seeds are 3 to 4 millimeters in diameter.

Habitat Distribution
Solanum acerifolium is capable of populating many different habitats including forest clearings, pastures, roadsides, and ravines. S. acerifolium has also been correlated with growing close to and inside coffee plantations. It is possible that the commerce of coffee could be the reason for its success in distribution across countries in southern Mexico and South America. S. acerifolium is typically found at altitudes of 1200 to 2000 meters.

Geographic Distribution
Solanum acerifolium can be found across two continents, spanning southern Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Trinidad, Colombia, Venezuela, Peru and eastern Brazil.

Phenology
Throughout its range, S. acerifolium will flower and fruit all year long. Although, flowing and fruiting may occur seasonally depending on latitude.