Solanaceae · Solanum

Kateli / Febrifuge Plant

Solanum virginianum

Also known as Yellow Berried Nightshade

HerbMedicinal
Habit
Herb
Found in India
Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Gujarat & more
Flowering
Throughout the year

Plant Details

Scientific name
Solanum virginianum
Genus
Solanum
Habit
Herb
Habitat
Degraded forest areas, also along roadsides and wasteland
Habitat type
Forest, Wasteland
Distribution
India, Himalayas, Southeast Asia, Malaysia, Australia, Polynesia, Myanmar
Found in India
Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Bihar, Odisha, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Haryana, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Jammu & Kashmir, Tripura, Assam
Flowering & fruiting
Throughout the year
Conservation status
Not Evaluated (NE)

Leaf characters

Leaf shape
OvaterecordedEgg-shaped, broader near the base.The plant has ovate-oblong, sinuated leaves that are unequally paired, with blades measuring 4-9 cm × 2-4.5 cm. — Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Typical of the family

Arrangement
Alternate
Simple type leaf character
Type
Simple
Entire margin leaf character
Margin
Entire
Pinnate venation leaf character
Venation
Pinnate

Characters marked “recorded” are for Kateli itself; the rest are typical of the Solanaceae family.

Flower & fruit characters

Fruit type
BerryrecordedA fleshy fruit with seeds embedded directly in the pulp, no central stone.Pale yellow berries of 1.3–2.2 cm in diameter are produced, when ripe the yellow fruits are around 3 cm in diameter. — Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Typical of the family

Inflorescence
Cyme
Fruit
Berry

Characters marked “recorded” are for Kateli itself; the rest are typical of the Solanaceae family — flowering plants only.

Local Names

Hindi
कटेली Kateli, ऊंट कंटेली Oonth Kateli,भटकटैया bhatakataiya
Nepali
कन्टकारी
Bengali
কংটকরী Kantakari, কন্টিকারি
Tamil
Kantankattiri, கண்டங்கத்தரி
Telugu
Nelamulaka, Vakudu
Kannada
ಕಂಟಕಾರಿ Kantakaari, ಕಿಱುಗುಳ್ಳ, ಕಿರುಗುಳ್ಳ Kirugulla
Malayalam
Kantakariccunta, Kantakarivalutana, കണ്ടകാരിച്ചുണ്ട
Marathi
काटेरिंगणी Kateringani

About Kateli

Febrifuge plant (Solanum virginianum) is a herb in the Solanaceae family. In India it has been recorded in Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Gujarat and 18 other states. It grows in degraded forest areas, also along roadsides and wasteland. It flowers and fruits through much of the year.

Uses

In practice it is long used in traditional medicine. Those medicinal uses are traditional attributions, not medical advice. Parts of this plant are reported as poisonous — treat it as unsafe to eat and wash your hands after handling.

Illustration representing the Solanaceae family
Botanical family

Solanaceae

Nightshade/Tomato family

Kateli belongs to the Solanaceae family.

The illustration represents the family — not necessarily this exact species.

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Common plant problems

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