# Bush tomato

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This article is about the Australian plants and fruits. For bush tomato plants, the determinate varieties of standard tomatoes, see [List of tomato cultivars](/source/List_of_tomato_cultivars).

Solanum species native to Australia

Bush tomato (fruit)

Bush tomato plant

**Bush tomatoes** are the fruit or entire plants of certain [nightshade](/source/Nightshade) (*Solanum*) [species](/source/Species) native to the more arid parts of [Australia](/source/Australia). While they are quite closely related to [tomatoes](/source/Tomato) (*Solanum lycopersicum*), they might be even closer relatives of the [eggplant](/source/Eggplant) (*S. melongena*), which they resemble in many details. There are 94 (mostly perennial) natives and 31 (mostly annual) introduced species in Australia.[1]

Bush tomato plants are small [shrubs](/source/Shrub) whose growth is encouraged by fire and disturbance.[1]

The fruit of a number of species have been used as food sources by [Aboriginal](/source/Indigenous_Australians) people in the drier areas of [Australia](/source/Australia).[1]

A number of *[Solanum](/source/Solanum)* species contain significant levels of [solanine](/source/Solanine) and as such are highly poisonous.[1] It is strongly recommended that people unfamiliar with the plant do not experiment with the different species, as differentiating between them can often be difficult.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*]

Some of the edible species are:

- *[Solanum aviculare](/source/Solanum_aviculare)* kangaroo apple[2]

- *[Solanum centrale](/source/Solanum_centrale)*, also known as desert raisin,[1] bush raisin or bush sultana, or by the native name *kutjera*

- *[Solanum chippendalei](/source/Solanum_chippendalei)* bush tomato, named after taxonomic botanist [George Chippendale](/source/George_Chippendale)[1]

- *[Solanum diversiflorum](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Solanum_diversiflorum&action=edit&redlink=1)* bush tomato, karlumbu, pilirta, wamurla[1]

- *[Solanum ellipticum](/source/Solanum_ellipticum)* potato bush, very similar to *[Solanum quadriloculatum](/source/Solanum_quadriloculatum)* which is poisonous.[1]

- *[Solanum laciniatum](/source/Solanum_laciniatum)* kangaroo apple.[3]

- *[Solanum orbiculatum](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Solanum_orbiculatum&action=edit&redlink=1)* round-leaved solanum[1]

- *[Solanum phlomoides](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Solanum_phlomoides&action=edit&redlink=1)* wild tomato.[1]

In 1859, Aboriginal people were observed burning off the outer skin of *S. aviculare* as the raw state would blister their mouths.[4] *S. chippendalei* is consumed by first splitting the fruit, scraping the centre out and eating the outer flesh as the seeds and surrounding placenta are bitter.[1] *S. diversiflorum* is roasted before being eaten or dried.[1] Fruit of *S.orbiculatum* is edible, but the fruit of the large leafed form may be bitter.[1] Fruit of *S. phlomoides* appears to be edible after the removal of seeds and roasting or sundrying.[1]

*Solanum aviculare* contains [solasodine](/source/Solasodine), a steroid used in the manufacture of oral contraceptives.[2] *[Solanum plastisexum](/source/Solanum_plastisexum),* a rare species first described in 2019, is distinguished among plants for exhibiting "breeding system fluidity" – that is, it has no stable sexual expression.

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-moore_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-moore_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-moore_1-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-moore_1-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-moore_1-4) [***f***](#cite_ref-moore_1-5) [***g***](#cite_ref-moore_1-6) [***h***](#cite_ref-moore_1-7) [***i***](#cite_ref-moore_1-8) [***j***](#cite_ref-moore_1-9) [***k***](#cite_ref-moore_1-10) [***l***](#cite_ref-moore_1-11) [***m***](#cite_ref-moore_1-12) [***n***](#cite_ref-moore_1-13) Moore, Philip *A Guide to Plants of Inland Australia* (2005), Reed New Holland, Sydney, [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [1-876334-86-X](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/1-876334-86-X)

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-robinson_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-robinson_2-1) Robinson, Les *Field Guide to the Native Plants of Sydney* (1991), Kangaroo Press, Pymble, NSW. 3rd Edition, [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-7318-1211-5](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-7318-1211-5)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Donaldson, Stuart (16 December 2003). ["Solanum laciniatum"](http://www.anbg.gov.au/gnp/gnp12/solanum-laciniatum.html). *Growing Native Plants*. Australian National Botanic Gardens. Retrieved 28 June 2012.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-bunce_4-0)** Bunce, Daniel *Travels with Dr. Leichhardt*,(1859), London

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Bush tomato](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bush_tomato) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bush_tomato?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.