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EggplantπΏ
Solanum melongena
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An annual (in Japan) native to India and one of the most important summer vegetables. The purple fruit is an indispensable ingredient in Japanese cuisine. It appears in the Japanese proverb "Don't let your daughter-in-law eat autumn eggplant" (interpreted as either too delicious to share or too cold-natured for expectant mothers).
Identification Points
- βFruit is glossy dark purple; shape varies from round to oblong depending on cultivar
- βFlowers are pale purple with five petals, nodding downward
- βStems and leaves have short hairs; some cultivars have spines on the stem
Habitat
Farm fields and home gardens
Season
JulyβOctober (fruit)
Morphological TraitsAI-estimated, needs verification
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf type
Simple
Venation
Pinnate
Leaf margin
Entire
Leaf shape
Ovate
Growth form
Herb
Petal count
5 petals
Petal fusion
Fused
Flowering season
Summer
Habitat
Cultivated
Stipules
Absent
Ovary position
Superior
Stamen count
3-4
Phylogenetic PositionγγΉη§ β
Phylogenetic Position
Angiosperms > Eudicots > Core Eudicots > Solanales > Solanaceae
Divergence Era
Paleogene (ca. 50 million years ago)
Evolution Notes
The nightshade family includes major food crops such as tomato, potato, and chili pepper, but also many toxic species containing alkaloids.
View on evolution timeline βSources & References
AI-generated, needs verification