coast and in desert ranges (South Australia). In Australia this plant is known colloquially as "tobacco bush weed", although Australia possesses many species of Nicotiana, which are more correctly known as wild tobaccos. It is tolerant of many soil types and quickly becomes established around plantations, forest margins, scrub and open land. In South Africa, biological control is being used in an attempt to manage Solanum mauritianum – the flowerbud weevil Anthonomus santacruzi is being used as a control agent. S. mauritianum is a favoured food plant of the African olive pigeon (Columba arquatrix), the Cape bulbul, the black-collared barbet, the red-eyed dove and red-whiskered bulbul. In New Zealand biological control with woolly nightshade lace bug (Gargaphia decoris) has been attempted since 2010. Toxicity It is alleged that all parts of the Solanum mauritianum plant are poisonous to humans, especially the unripe berries, and furthermore that human fatalities have resulted from the consumption of the berries, and cases of fatal poisoning in pigs and illness in cattle have been reported in Queensland. However, mountain possums appear to eat it without ill effect, and stripping of bark, leaves, and terminal shoots has destroyed pure stands of S.mauritianum. Watt & Brandwijk state that horses, domestic chickens and all birds eat the fruit with impunity, and further state that no records of poisoning in children exist, casting doubt on contrary published accounts. The main toxic compound is the alkaloid, solasodine, with the highest content in the unripe green berry (2-3.5% dry weight). Solauricine, solauricidine, and solasodamine have also been found in Solanum mauritianum. Synonyms The name Solanum mauritianum was applied by Blanco to S. erianthum and by Willdenow based on Roth to S. sisymbriifolium. In addition, wooly nightshade has a number of synonyms: Solanum auriculatum Aiton S. auriculatum Mart. ex Dunal in DC. is S. granuloso-leprosum. Solanum carterianum Rock Solanum pulverulentum Salisb. (non L.: preoccupied) S. pulverulentum Nutt. ex Seem. is S. puberulum. Solanum pulverulentum Pers. is S. cutervanum. Solanum tabaccifolium Vell. Solanum verbascifolium var. typicum Hassl. Solanum verbascifolium var. auriculatum (Aiton) Kuntze Solanum verbascifolium var. auriculatum Maiden (non Aiton: preoccupied) S. verbascifolium L. is S. donianum; S. verbascifolium Banks ex Dunal in DC. is the same as the undeterminable S. stenorchis. Many other Solanum species (S. conglobatum, S. erianthum, S. granuloso-leprosum, S. hazenii, S. riparium, and S. stipulaceum Roem. & Schult.) were once considered varieties of the ill-defined "S. verbascifolium" too. References