A new species of Solanum (Solanaceae) from South Africa related to the cultivated eggplant

A new andromonoecious species related to the eggplant and belonging to Solanum subgenus Leptostemonum from southern Africa is described. Solanum umtuma Voronts. & S.Knapp, sp. nov. is found in the eastern part of South Africa, and is sympatric with its close relative S. linnaeanum Hepper & P.M-L.Jaeger. It is morphologically very similar to S. cerasiferum Dunal of northern tropical Africa. A comparison table with similar and closely related species is provided, as are a distribution map and illustration of S. umtuma.