Solanum laciniatum and S. aviculare
Bullibul, Bullibulli, Large kangaroo apple (Aus).
A soft wooded shrub up to 3m tall. Leaves are lanceolate, 15-30cm long, narrow, irregularly lobed and dark green with veins. Stems are purplish in colour. Flowers are blue -purple (or rarely white), fruit is a pale yellow or orange berry.
These two species are very similar, S. laciniatum has slightly larger flowers with less distinct lobes.
Lowland forest margins and shrublands throughout New Zealand. Native.
The glycoalkaloids solasonine, solamargine and b solamargine. See Solanum/nightshades for more information. All parts are poisonous, alkaloids are concentrated in the unripe berries. Fully ripe fruit are probably not toxic.
All mammals, particularly hungry sheep.
Abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhoea and depression. Profuse diarrhoea with abdominal pain, depression, weakness and incoordination, trembling, rapid respiration and heart rate, dyspnoea, excessive salivation, nasal discharge and jaundice. Sudden death.
Hyperaemia of the alimentary tract, often with severe haemorrhage, and generalised congestion of visceral organs.
History, clinical signs, leaves in rumen.
Other toxicities with Solanum species. Other causes of diarrhoea/vomiting.
Symptomatic treatment. Establish respiration, induce vomiting in the appropriate animals, activated charcoal, saline cathartic, iv fluids to maintain body fluid and electrolyte balance.
Generally depends on the severity of clinical signs and response to treatment. Fatalities are uncommon, although in one case 27 of 675 sheep died.
Conner H.E. The Poisonous Plants In New Zealand. 1992. GP Publications Ltd, Wellington
Holloway, I. 2002 Sudden death in hoggets while grazing a crop. Proceedings of the Sheep and Beef Cattle Veterinarians of the NZVA, 32, 31 - 35
Parton K, Bruere A.N. and Chambers J.P. Veterinary Clinical Toxicology, 2nd ed. 2001. Veterinary Continuing Education Publication No. 208
Surveillance 2005, 31(1) 22
4 October, 2007
