Solanum guineense, coastal nightshade

The flowers of Solanum guineense grow solitary or in small clusters from leaf axils. The five-pointed, star-shaped flower may be pale blue or mauve. Five bulky yellow anthers are clustered in the flower centre with a sometimes off-centre white style protruding, hardly visible in the photo.

Flowers are seen in autumn and winter. This one was photographed on a southern Cape hillside near Van Wyksdorp during May.

The fruits are spherical berries coloured green, later yellow, orange or red; about 2,5 cm in diameter (Manning, 2007; Bond and Goldblatt, 1984; iSpot).