Talk:Solanaceae

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There appears to be an error in the first paragraph. The sentence which reads It is also known by the names Convulvulaceae, Boraginaceae, and Hydrophyllaceae. group is wrong as it stands. I think what was meant was The Solanaceae are members of the Solanales group, to which also belong the Convulvulaceae, Boraginaceae, and Hydrophyllaceae.

Lucy Kemnitzer ritaxis@cruzio.com

Don't know how that slipped in there without anybody catching it. I checked other edits by the same editor and can't be certain it was outright vandalism, but it was certainly wrong. Thanks for the heads-up. MrDarwin 03:25, 23 January 2007 (UTC)

Oh, and something else: I was unsure, but I've confirmed: Boraginaceae don't belong to the Solanales order (another correction of my correction: I said group before), but the Lamiales.

Here's a source for the Solanales: http://plants.usda.gov/java/ClassificationServlet?source=display&classid=Solanales

And for Boraginaceae: http://plants.usda.gov/java/ClassificationServlet?source=continue&sort=sciname

Should I just go ahead and change that paragraph? I have never done this before.

I removed the entire sentence because the information on Solanales isn't really necessary here--there is a separate Solanales article where that information can be found and where the various circumscriptions of the group are discussed. But adding information on the closest relatives of Solanaceae would certainly be relevant to this article. You're correct that Boraginaceae doesn't belong in Solanales, but it turns out not to belong in Lamiales either; it seems to be a separate and rather isolated lineage within the Asteridae or asterid clade (see Boraginaceae and Boraginales). There's always a gray area between including information in any particular article that is related but may be duplicated or explained better in a separate article. I guess the main question to ask yourself is how any new information is directly relevant to the article, and how it will improve it. MrDarwin 14:13, 23 January 2007 (UTC)

Cocaine is not a plant. The sentence in the alkaloids section should be changed to reflect that. Cocaine is a substance made in part from the coca plant. 71.217.10.180 01:45, 13 April 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Alkaloids

The Solanaceae are known for possessing a diverse range of alkaloidal glucosides, or simply alkaloids. As far as humans are concerned, these alkaloids can be desirable, toxic, or both, though they presumably evolved because they reduced the tendency of animals to eat the plants.

This seems to imply that "alkaloidal glucoside" is a synonym for "alkaloid" or that all Solanacae alkaloids are glycoalkaloids/alkaloidal glucosides, neither of which is true. None of the alkaloids (atropine, scopolamine, hyoscyamine, nicotine, capsaicin) currently mentioned in the section are glucosides. Solanine is a glycoalkaloid but is only mentioned in the next section.--Eloil 15:38, 5 May 2007 (UTC)

Thanks, I changed it. Please feel free to change something of this nature yourself. KP Botany 03:44, 27 May 2007 (UTC)

I think the entire section on aklaloids should be reduced. It goes too far into the science behind them - this belongs on a separate page about how these things work. Instead perhaps it should only name some of the major substances found in the applicable plants. I'm unsure how to go about it, though; someone with some more wikipedia editing experience may have more input? 146.115.29.49 (talk) 01:28, 25 April 2008 (UTC)

It could be trimmed back a bit in places (and better written in many), but I don't really think the length is, on the whole, excessive. We do want to describe what is notable about each plant family. I think it might stand out right now because we don't have enough on ecology, cultivation, etc. (see for example Wikipedia:WikiProject Plants/Template for what might go in a plant article). Kingdon (talk) 04:20, 25 April 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Green potatoes

Some of the statements in the section on Nutritional information seem rather strange:

"However, the tubers may become toxic if allowed to sprout. Green areas on a potato indicate new growth, which may indicate the presence of chaconine and solanine.

Now correct me if I'm wrong, but don't green areas on potatoes usually indicate exposure to sunlight, which is generally believed to increase levels of toxines? Potatoes, at least in my fridge, often go so far as to sprout visibly, without ever showing green areas. I have never heard of this being connected to toxines, though I rather think I'll try to find out before I peel off the sprouts on another one.

The whole topic is covered better (and with at least some references) at potato, so that's the place to go into any details. I've removed the discussion which was here. If people really think it is important enough to mention (not discuss at length) in the Solanaceae article, I would think it would fit better along with the discussion of the other toxic substances in this family (the previous section), rather than the nutrition section. Kingdon 21:50, 15 August 2007 (UTC)

Good call. /Emil —Preceding unsigned comment added by Emil Perder (talk • contribs) 09:57, 3 September 2007 (UTC)

I removed the line "Some people experience sensitivity or allergy-like symptoms in response to nightshade plants." because it needs a citation and probably should be changed because people have allergy like symptoms to all kinds of food. (69.88.112.114 20:55, 23 August 2007 (UTC))

Thanks. Useful edit and good catch. KP Botany 21:59, 23 August 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Spices as preservatives

Article makes some bizarre reference to people eating spicy foods (some nightshades) in order to release endorphins. There is no citation. A much simpler explanation is that alkaloids act as a preservative by preventing the growth of certain bacterias; that statement is in the first paragraph of the article on spice and already has a citation. Should remove the unsourced statement regarding endorphins.66.26.82.58 (talk) 15:01, 3 May 2008 (UTC)

In fact this entire paragraph:

"It is thought[citation needed] that the reason one would deliberately induce pain while eating is the rewarding release of endorphins it causes. The "hotness" of capsaicin products and foods is expressed in Scoville units. A scoville unit is the factor by which the capsaicin-containing substance must be diluted to render the resulting solution imperceptible to a tester (for example, a teaspoon of a 5,000 Scoville unit hot sauce would have to be diluted with 4,999 teaspoons of a sugar water solution to negate its potential to cause a sensation on the palate)."

seems bizarrely out of place. Why is this even in the article, besides that the fact that some nightshades are peppers? A link to the topic is appropriate, the paragraph is not.66.26.82.58 (talk) 15:04, 3 May 2008 (UTC)

The previous paragraph ("Capsaicin is structurally . . . for its spiciness.") is at least enough detail for this article. In other words, I agree that we should be going into detail in articles like capsaicinoid, chili pepper, Capsicum, etc, not here. Kingdon (talk) 03:48, 4 May 2008 (UTC)