{{Short description|Species of flowering plant}} {{no footnotes|date=May 2012}} {{Speciesbox |image = Solanum chilense (Flower).jpg |image_caption = |genus = Solanum |species = chilense |authority = (Dunal) Reiche |synonyms = *''Lycopersicon chilense'' {{au|Dunal}} *''Lycopersicon atacamense'' {{au|Phil.}} *''Lycopersicon bipinnatifidum'' {{au|Phil.}} *''Lycopersicon peruvianum'' subsp. ''puberulum'' {{au|(Phil.) Luckwill}} *''Lycopersicon puberulum'' {{au|Phil.}} |synonyms_ref = <ref name = "POWO">''Solanum chilense'' (Dunal) Reiche. (n.d.). Plants of the World Online. Retrieved December 28, 2025, from https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:818675-1</ref> |range_map = Chile–Peru Locator.svg |range_map_caption = It is native to northern Chile, Galápagos, and Peru<ref name = "POWO" /> |status = LC |status_system = IUCN3.1 |status_ref = <ref name = "Knapp & Gonzales Arce, 2020">Knapp, S. & Gonzales Arce, P. 2020. ''Solanum chilense''. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2020: e.T101522185A101522188. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T101522185A101522188.en. Accessed on 28 December 2025.</ref> }}
'''''Solanum chilense''''' is a plant species from the "tomato" subgenus ''Lycopersicon'' within the nightshade genus ''Solanum''.
==Description== ===Vegetative characteristics=== ''Solanum chilense'' is an erect or decumbent, perennial, 0.5–1.5 m tall, and 1–4 m wide herb with a woody base.<ref name = "Raduski & Igić, 2021">Raduski, A. R., & Igić, B. (2021). [https://bsapubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/ajb2.1621 Biosystematic studies on the status of ''Solanum chilense''.] American Journal of Botany, 108(3), 520-537.</ref> The grayish stems become woody at the base and reach a diameter of {{convert|8|to|12|mm}}. The dense, velvety coat consists of white, single row, non-glandular trichomes up to 0.5 mm in length and occasional short-row, glandular trichomes with four or achtzelligen heads.
The sympodial units have two (rarely three) leaves. The internodes are 1–2 (rarely 5) cm long. The leaves are broken imparipinnate, (often only 5 to) 7 to 13 (rarely to 20) cm long and (rarely 2) 2.5 to 6.5 (rarely to 10) cm wide. They are greyish green. The coat is similar to the stem, but with less glandular trichomes.
The sheath consists of five to seven pairs of bulk leaves which are narrowly elliptical in shape, a broad-pointed to pointed tip, and inclined to appear sessile. ===Generative characteristics=== The often terminal, 10–12-flowered inflorescence bears pedicellate, yellow,<ref name = "Dunal, 1852" /> self-incompatible flowers<ref name = "Molitor et al., 2024" /> with 5 petals.<ref name = "Dunal, 1852" /> The anther tube is straight.<ref name = "Molitor et al., 2024" /> The stigma is capitate.<ref name = "Dunal, 1852" /> The globose,<ref name = "Dunal, 1852" /> 1 cm wide, green, inedible fruits<ref name = "Molitor et al., 2024" /> have white hairs.<ref name = "Dunal, 1852" />
===Cytology=== It is a diploid species. The chromosome count is n = 12.<ref name = "Molitor et al., 2024" />
==Taxonomy== It was first described as ''Lycopersicum chilense'' {{au|Dunal}} by Michel Félix Dunal in 1852.<ref name = "Dunal, 1852">Candolle, Augustin Pyramus de, & Candolle, Alphonse de. (1824). Prodromus systematis naturalis regni vegetabilis, sive, Enumeratio contracta ordinum generum specierumque plantarum huc usque cognitarium, juxta methodi naturalis, normas digesta (Vol. 13, Issue 1, p. 24). Sumptibus Sociorum Treuttel et Würtz. https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/159506</ref><ref name = "IPNI a">''Lycopersicum chilense'' Dunal. (n.d.). International Plant Names Index. Retrieved December 28, 2025, from https://www.ipni.org/n/816693-1</ref> It was placed into the genus ''Solanum'' {{au|L.}} as ''Solanum chilense'' {{au|(Dunal) Reiche}} by Karl Friedrich Reiche in 1910.<ref name = "IPNI b">''Solanum chilense'' (Dunal) Reiche. (n.d.-b). International Plant Names Index. Retrieved December 28, 2025, from https://www.ipni.org/n/818675-1</ref> It is placed into the section ''Solanum'' sect. ''Lycopersicon''.<ref name = "Molitor et al., 2024" /> ===Etymology=== The specific epithet ''chilense'' means ''from Chile''.<ref>Charters, M. L. (n.d.). California Plant Names: Latin and Greek Meanings and Derivations An Annotated Dictionary of Botanical and Biographical Etymology. Calflora. Retrieved December 28, 2025, from https://www.calflora.net/botanicalnames/pageCA-CH.html</ref>
==Distribution and habitat== It is native to northern Chile, Galápagos, and Peru<ref name = "POWO" /> at altitudes of 0–3300 m above sea level.<ref name = "Knapp & Gonzales Arce, 2020" /> It is adapted to the harsh environmental conditions and salinity of the Atacama Desert.<ref name = "Bigot et al., 2023">Bigot, S., Leclef, C., Rosales, C., Martínez, J. P., Lutts, S., & Quinet, M. (2023). [https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/horticulture/articles/10.3389/fhort.2023.1130702/pdf Comparison of the salt resistance of ''Solanum lycopersicum'' x ''Solanum chilense'' hybrids and their parents.] Frontiers in Horticulture, 2, 1130702.</ref> They grow in extremely dry, rocky areas and in coastal deserts. The flowers and fruits appear consistently throughout the year, but there is a noticeable increase in flowering between September and October.
==Conservation== The IUCN conservation status is Least Concern (LC).<ref name = "Knapp & Gonzales Arce, 2020" />
==Use== It is used in plant breeding<ref name = "Molitor et al., 2024">Molitor, C., Kurowski, T. J., Fidalgo de Almeida, P. M., Kevei, Z., Spindlow, D. J., Chacko Kaitholil, S. R., ... & Mohareb, F. R. (2024). [https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/plant-science/articles/10.3389/fpls.2024.1342739/pdf A chromosome-level genome assembly of ''Solanum chilense'', a tomato wild relative associated with resistance to salinity and drought.] Frontiers in Plant Science, 15, 1342739.</ref> because it is resistant to disease, drought,<ref name = "Kole, 2011">Kole, C. (2011). [https://www.google.de/books/edition/Wild_Crop_Relatives_Genomic_and_Breeding/W0mgv1xAbXMC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=%22Solanum%20chilense%22&pg=PA174&printsec=frontcover Wild Crop Relatives: Genomic and Breeding Resources: Vegetables.] p. 174. Germany: Springer Berlin Heidelberg.</ref> salt, and cold.<ref name = "D’Agostino et al., 2021">D’Agostino, N., Barone, A., & Rigano, M. M. (2021). [https://www.google.de/books/edition/The_Wild_Solanums_Genomes/oElEEAAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=%22Solanum%20chilense%22&pg=PA159&printsec=frontcover Knowledge on the Genomes of Wild Tomato Species is the Key to Unlocking Their Breeding Potential.] In The Wild Solanums Genomes (pp. 155-166). Cham: Springer International Publishing.</ref>
==Further reading== * Iris E. Peralta, David M. Spooner, Sandra Knapp: Taxonomy of Wild Tomatoes and Their Relatives (.. Solanum sect Lycopersicoides, Juglandifolia sect, sect Lycopersicon, Solanaceae.). Systematic Botany Monographs, Volume 84, The American Society of Plant taxonomists, June 2008, {{ISBN|978-0-912861-84-5}}
==References== {{Reflist}}{{Taxonbar|from=Q148088}}
chilense Category:Tomatoes Category:Plants described in 1852