research needs to be done to ascertain exactly the specific 
limits of this concept. It is closely allied to Solanum hai- 
mitante: the differences were discussed above under S. 
livimitante. If the limits of the apparently rather wide- 
spread Solanum straminifolium can be resolved, S. livimi- 
tante may perhaps deserve but varietal rank. At the 
present time, however, it appears to be wiser to recog- 
nize them as distinct. They are distinct in the field, and 
the Indians of the Vaupés of Colombia easily point out 
the differences, recognizing them occasionally by the use 
of slightly different common names for the two. There 
may, however, be natural hybridization in some localities 
where both have been grown for long periods together. 
Solanum straminifolium grows in the lowland, tropical 
forest regions of Amazonian Colombia, never passing 
1500 feet above sea-level. The natives of this area not 
only eat the fruits but put them in vinegar for pickling 
and to use as condiments in other foods. It is called 
e-to-pa-a in Tukano of the Vaupés (Romero-Castaneda 
loc. cit. 288) and, amongst the Kubeos of the same area, 
the name /o-bu-yd is employed. 
Solanum Topiro Humboldt & Bonpland ex Dunal 
Sol. gen. aff. syn. (1816) 10. 
Shrub unarmed, robust, rank, up to about 5 ft. tall. 
Branches stout, terete, scurfy-pubescent, grey-green in 
life. Twigs densely white-stellate-tomentose. Leaves 
coarsely membranaceous, ovate in outline, at maturity 
up to about 48 cm. long, 86 cm. wide, basally inequi- 
laterally truncate, apically abruptly acute, marginally 
very distantly and very deeply sinuate, strongly petio- 
late (petiole up to 12 cm. long, densely white-stellate- 
tomentose): upper surface coarsely tomentose and dense- 
ly clad with somewhat stiff, sericeous white hairs (some 
of which have basally a stellate formation) sparsely inter- 
[ 279 ] 
