Solanum torvum (තිබ්බටු)

Solanum torvum, the turkey berry, devil's fig, pea eggplant, platebrush or susumber, is a bushy, erect and spiny perennial plant used horticulturally as a rootstock for eggplant. Grafted plants are very vigorous and tolerate diseases affecting the root system, thus allowing the crop to continue for a second year.

The plant is usually 2 or 3 m in height and 2 cm in basal diameter, but may reach 5m in height and 8 cm in basal diameter. The shrub usually has a single stem at ground level, but it may branch on the lower stem. The stem bark is gray and nearly smooth with raised lenticels. The inner bark has a green layer over an ivory color (Little and others 1974). The plants examined by the author, growing on firm soil, had weak taproots and well-developed laterals. The roots are white. Foliage is confined to the growing twigs.

Here are its many health benefits:

• Consuming Turkey berry keeps many intestinal problems like indigestion, diarrhoea and gastric ulcers at bay.
• On regular consumption, symptoms of anaemia are also controlled to a large extent by this wondrous vegetable. This can be attributed to its dense iron content.
• Also, because of its antifungal and antibacterial properties, it hinders infections.
• The huge presence of antioxidants like flavanoids, alkaloids etc, in Turkey berry can ward off various cardiovascular diseases and can prevent the onset of stroke.
• It can also help to eradicate the harmful uric acid from the body, thus keeping various kidney diseases at bay.

All said and done, this berry, though teeny-weeny in size, can act as a remarkable antidote to various human ailments.