African-holly

Solanum giganteum, a member of the Solanaceae family, is an armed shrub or small tree reaching up to 4 m in height. Stems are prickly and densely covered with stellate pubescence, with prickles up to 7 mm long and 5 mm wide at the base. Leaves are simple, elliptic, and measure 12–40 cm in length, with a chartaceous texture and strongly discolorous surfaces. The adaxial surface is green to red-brown when dry, while the abaxial surface is light grey-green and densely pubescent with multangulate trichomes. The species is found in the understory of forests in India and Sri Lanka, where it is distinguished by its large leaves, small stipule-like leaves, and bright red berries. It is closely related to African and Indian Solanum species and is cultivated for shade and fencing in its native range.