Solanum paniculatum, commonly known as jurubeba, is a nightshade common in almost all of Brazil. It is used as a medicinal plant and has a bitter taste.[1]
An infusion of its stem and its root in sugar cane alcohol (cachaça) is popularly used as an apéritif or a digestif.
The fruits are traditionally consumed in rural areas pickled in brine and vinegar.[2]
Well known in its native range, this species has been described time and again under different now-invalid names. Some of these are homonyms of other Solanum taxa.[3]
Solanum reticulatum of de Jussieu from Dunal in de Candolle is S. vellozianum.
Solanum reticulatum of Dunal in Poiret is S. crotonoides as described by Lamarck
Two varieties were once recognized, but they are not generally considered valid anymore:
Not to be confused with S. ellipticum, described by Brown. The S. ellipticum of de Conceição Vellozo refers to S. cylindricum.
Not to be confused with the S. integrifolium of Poiret, which refers to S. aethiopicum
Similar nightshade species that were once included with S. paniculatum but are now considered distinct are: