| Author | Dunal | |
| Distribution | A single collection known so far: Sampson County, no location, 1996, collected by G. Cross and T. Smith (Herbarium NCSC).
Native of South-central South America; in N.A. NC to OK south to FL and TX; also PA. | |
| Abundance | Very rare. This is a federal noxious weed and should be eradicated wherever found. | |
| Habitat | Presumably in a cropfield or barnyard. | |
| Phenology | Flowering and fruiting -- no NC data. | |
| Identification | Tropical Soda-apple it a bushy shrub a few feet tall and often wider than tall. It has spines that are dull yellow, as in S. rostratum, but far less numerous though stouter. The leaves are not deeply lobed or deeply cut, but shallowly so or entire. The flowers are small and white; on the other hand. the fruits are rather large, golf-ball-sized, pale green veined with dark green, maturing yellow. | |
| Taxonomic Comments | | |
| Other Common Name(s) | | |
| State Rank | SE | |
| Global Rank | GNR | |
| State Status | | |
| US Status | | |
| USACE-agcp | | |
| USACE-emp | | |
