The Extended Distributional Areas of Solanum lasiocarpum (Solanaceae) in Sumatra, Indonesia

Muhammad Rifqi Hariri (Pusat Riset Konservasi Tumbuhan dan Kebun Raya - BRIN)
Arifin Surya Dwipa Irsyam (Herbarium Bandungense (FIPIA), School of Life Sciences and Technology (SITH), Institut Teknologi Bandung (ITB))
Rina Ratnasih Irwanto (School of Life Sciences and Technology (SITH), Institut Teknologi Bandung (ITB))
Kusnadi Kusnadi (Research Center for Plant Conservation and Botanic Gardens, The National Research and Innovation Agency)

Jurnal Penelitian Hutan dan Konservasi Alam
Vol 19, No 2 (2022): Jurnal Penelitian Hutan dan Konservasi Alam

Solanum is one of Solanaceae's largest genera, where some species are usually used as food and medicine. Until recently, 15 species of Solanum subg. Leptostemonum has been listed in Sumatra, Indonesia. Solanum lasiocarpum Dunal is a native Leptostemonum found in Indonesia. S. lasiocarpum was only recorded in Northern Sumatra by several botanists. In 2019, S. lasiocarpum was also reported from Bengkulu, but there were still doubts about these findings. During the expedition of invasive alien plant species in Padang Bindu, Sumatra Selatan, in May 2021, we discovered S. lasiocarpum with different noticeable characteristics from S. lasiocarpum, which was previously found in Bengkulu. Detailed examination of the morphological characters, our study revealed that that species was S. lasiocarpum. This finding suggested an extended distributional record for S. lasiocarpum in Sumatra.