Bugweed
Solanum mauritianum
- Habit
- Shrub
- Found in India
- Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh & more
- Flowering
- December-June
How to identify Bugweed
Identify Bugweed by combining habit, leaf characters, flower or fruit details, location, and its family pattern. Do not rely on one feature alone.
- Look for a shrub habit.
- Confirm leaf type: Simple.
- Confirm leaf shape: Ovate.
- In season, compare flowering and fruiting time: December-June.
- In India, compare location records such as Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal and nearby regions.
- Confirm it sits within the Solanaceae family pattern, then compare close relatives before deciding it is Bugweed.
Plant Details
- Scientific name
- Solanum mauritianum
- Genus
- Solanum
- Family
- Solanaceae
- Habit
- Shrub
- Habitat
- Shola forest margins and montane scrub jungle
- Native to
- South America
- Found in India
- Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Karnataka
- Flowering & fruiting
- December-June
Leaf characters
- Leaf type
- SimplerecordedA single, undivided leaf blade.“The simple, entire, ovate-elliptical large leaves are up to 40 centimeters long, 30 centimeters wide and are grey-green in color.” — Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Leaf shape
- OvaterecordedEgg-shaped, broader near the base.“The simple, entire, ovate-elliptical large leaves are up to 40 centimeters long, 30 centimeters wide and are grey-green in color.” — Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Leaf margin
- EntirerecordedA smooth, unbroken edge with no teeth or notches.“The simple, entire, ovate-elliptical large leaves are up to 40 centimeters long, 30 centimeters wide and are grey-green in color.” — Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
Typical of the family
- Arrangement
- Alternate
Characters marked “recorded” are for Bugweed itself; the rest are typical of the Solanaceae family.
Flower & fruit characters
- Flower symmetry
- Actinomorphic (radially symmetrical)
- Inflorescence
- Cyme
- Fruit
- Berry
Typical of the Solanaceae family — flowering plants only; individual species can differ.
About Bugweed
A member of the Solanaceae family, Bugweed (Solanum mauritianum) is a shrub. In India it has been recorded in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh and 2 other states. It grows in shola forest margins and montane scrub jungle. Flowering and fruiting run from December to June.
Uses
Parts of this plant are reported as poisonous — treat it as unsafe to eat and wash your hands after handling.
Solanaceae
Nightshade/Tomato family
Bugweed belongs to the Solanaceae family.
The illustration represents the family — not necessarily this exact species.
Explore the Solanaceae familySnap it. Know it.
Point your camera at Bugweed or any plant and SASYA identifies it instantly — on-device, offline, and private.
Common plant problems
If you are starting from symptoms instead of a diagnosis, use the plant disease symptom checker to narrow the cause before treating.
All plant problem & care guides