Solanum tuberosum, L.

Tutin, T. G., Heywood, V. H., Burges, N. A., Moore, D. M., Valentine, D. H., Walters, S. M. & Webb, D. A., 1972, Flora Europaea. Volume 3. Diapensiacea to Myoporaceae, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press : 198

8. S. tuberosum L. , Sp. Pl. 185 (1753) .

Sparsely pubescent annual with simple, appressed hairs, with underground stolons bearing terminal tubers; stems 3O-8O(-15O) cm, erect, branched, succulent, winged. Leaves interruptedly imparipinnate, with 3—5(—7) pairs of ovate, acuminate leaflets between which are smaller, unequal, ovate to orbicular leaflets; petiole with auricular or semi-lunate false stipules at base. Cymes many-flowered, 2 - 4 on axillary to extra-axillary branched peduncles 50-100 mm; pedicels 20-35 mm, usually articulated in middle |. Calyx 5-10 mm; teeth lanceolate, acuminate. Corolla 25-35(-40) mm in diameter, orbicular to pentagonal, white, purple or blue to violet or pinkish. Anthers 6-7 mm, yellow to orange. Berry 20-40 mm in diameter, more or less globose, succulent, greenish to purplish. 2« = 48. Cultivated fo r its edible tubers (potatoes) almost throughout Europe. (South America.)

The European cultivars belong to subsp. tuberosum .