Solanum morelliforme

Common Name(s):

Synonyms:

Series: Morelliforme

EBN: Unknown

Ploidy: Diploid

Segregation: Disomic

Self-compatible: No

Cytoplasm Type: W (Hosaka 2014)

Description

Solanum morelliforme is a contender for the most unusual wild potato, as it is an epiphyte, typically growing on or near oak and pine trees. This is a widespread species in central Mexico and extends south in to through Honduras. Plants grow from about 3 to 18 inches tall. The berries are very small – about 1/4 to 1/3 of an inch in diameter and contain only 5 to 15 seeds, much less than most potato species.

A disjuct (geographically separated) population of S. morelliforme was discovered in Bolivia in 2010 (Simon 2011). This is very surprising considering that there is a 2500 mile gap between the North and South American populations. No other wild potato species has a natural distribution on both continents.

This species can survive frosts down to 26 degrees F (-3.5 C) (Li 1977). Vega (1995) found that this species is less frost tolerant than domesticated potato and was among the least tolerant of the wild potato species.

Condition	Level of Resistance	Source
Late Blight	Somewhat Resistant	Machida-Hirano 2015
Colorado Potato Beetle	Somewhat Resistant	Machida-Hirano 2015
Frost	Somewhat Resistant	Machida-Hirano 2015

Glykoalkaloid content

Cultivation

Bamberg (2018) found that germination of at least some accessions of this species is inhibited by alternating temperatures. I reproduced that quite successfully, as we got zero germination from seeds sown under our standard 65 F day / 50 F night temperature alternation. I have yet to retry under constant temperature.