Solanum nelsonii

Description:

Ppolo or Nelson's horsenettleSolanaceaeEndemic to the Hawaiian Islands (All the main islands except Lnai and Kahoolawe, and also on some of the Northwest Islands)Status: VulnerableOahu (Cultivated), Moomomi Dunes, Molokai formEtymologyThe Latin generic name Solanum is derived from solor or solatus, comforter, for some plants in this genus that were used medically, specifically S. nigrum, once used to treat epilepsy.The specific epithet, nelsonii, is named on behalf of David Nelson, a botanist who traveled with Captain Cook on his third voyage of discovery in 1779 and collected more than 130 plant specimens from Mauna Loa, Hawaii Island.NPH00012nativeplants.hawaii.edu/plant/view/Solanum_nelsonii