Family: Solanaceae
Author: L.
Bibliography: Sp. Pl.: 186 (1753)
Year: 1753
Status: accepted
Rank: species
Genus: Solanum
Vegetable: Unknown
Observations: a cultigen from Indo-China to China (Yunnan)
Description
Aubergine, scientifically known as Solanum melongena, is a significant and highly valued plant species belonging to the Solanaceae family. This versatile plant enjoys global recognition not only for its culinary uses but also for its ornamental appeal.
Originating as a cultigen in the Indo-China region and extending to China’s Yunnan province, the aubergine has a rich history of cultivation and domestication. The plant’s journey from its native lands to becoming a staple in global cuisines is a testimony to its adaptability and the appreciation it has garnered over centuries.
Referenced in Carl Linnaeus’s seminal work, “Species Plantarum” in 1753, aubergine has been the subject of much botanical and agricultural interest since. Its introduction to various parts of the world has led to a diverse range of cultivars, each prized for unique characteristics such as size, color, and flavor.
Aubergines are typically grown as annuals in temperate climates, although they are perennial in their native tropical and subtropical environments. The plant thrives in warm temperatures and well-drained soils, requiring consistent moisture and sunlight to produce its distinctive glossy, purple fruits, which can vary significantly in shape and color, including hues of white, green, and even striped variations.
The fruit of the aubergine is renowned for its versatility in the kitchen. It serves as a key ingredient in numerous dishes worldwide, from Mediterranean ratatouille to Middle Eastern baba ghanoush and Asian stir-fries. Its ability to absorb flavors while retaining a meaty texture makes it a favored choice among vegetarians and vegans.
Apart from its culinary uses, the aubergine plant also holds ornamental value. Its large, lobed leaves and strikingly beautiful purple flowers add aesthetic appeal to gardens and landscapes.
In conclusion, Solanum melongena, or aubergine, stands out as a plant of remarkable cultural, culinary, and botanical significance. Its journey from the Indo-China region to becoming a global culinary staple highlights not only its adaptability but also the widespread appreciation of its versatile nature.
Common Names
Deu: aubergine, aubergine, eierfrucht, eierfrucht, melanzane
Fra: aubergine, béringène, melongène, mélongène
Dan: aubergine, ægplante
Spa: berenjena
Eng: eggplant, aubergine, brinjal, brinjal eggplant
Tur: patlican
Lit: tikrasis baklažanas
Swe: aubergin, äggört
Por: beringela, berinjela
Ces: lilek vejcoplodý (baklažán)
Ita: maranziana, melanzana, mulignana, petrociana
Khm: ផ្លែត្រប់
En: Aubergine, Eggplant, Brinjal eggplant, Brinjal, Berendjena, Toru, Truëng, Tuung, Vinitâ, Kùytàsínà, Ǣȝƿyrt, बैगन, ᏕᎭᎷᎨ ᎠᏓᏛᏍᎩ, 𐌰𐌳𐌳𐌾𐌰𐌺𐍂𐌰𐌽, Jew’s Apple, Asian Eggplant, Egg Plant, Eggplants, Garden Eggplant
Ab: Абаклаџьан
Af: Eievrug
Sq: Patëllxhani
Am: ባዚንጀን
Ar: باذنجان, Badhingan
Hy: Բադրիջան
Az: Badımcan
Ba: Баклажан
Eu: Alberjinia
Be: Баклажан
Bn: বেগুন
Bi: Obesin
Bs: Patlidžan
Br: Berjinez
Bg: Патладжан
My: ခရမ်းပင်
Ca: Alberginiera
Zh: Qie, 茄, 茄子
Cv: Баклажан
Co: Milanzana
Hr: Patlidžan
Cs: Lilek vejcoplodý, Lilek vejcoplodý (baklažán)
Da: Aubergine, Ægplante
Dv: ބަށި
Nl: Aubergine
Eo: Melongeno
Et: Baklažaan
Fi: Munakoiso, Patamunakoiso
Fr: Aubergine, Béringène, Mélongène, Melongène, Beringène, Bringèle, Marignan, Mélancanne, Morelle, Bringelle, Tomate marron
Ff: Huytaare
Gl: Berenxena
Ka: Ბადრიჯანი
De: Eierfrucht, Aubergine, Aubergine, Eierfrucht, Melanzane
De-at: Melanzani
El: Μελιτζάνα
Gu: રીંગણ
Ht: Berejèn
He: חציל
Hi: बैंगन
Hu: Padlizsán
Is: Eggaldin
Io: Berenjeno
Id: Terung
Ga: Ubhthoradh
It: Maranziana, Petrociana, Melanzana, Mulignana
Ja: Nasu
Jv: Térong
Kn: ಬದನೆ
Ks: وانٛگُن
Kk: Баялды
Km: ផ្លែត្រប់
Rw: Urutoryi
Ky: Баклажан
Kg: Kitsukulu
Ko: Gaji, 가지
Ku: Balîcan
Lv: Baklažāns
Ln: Sóló
Lt: Baklažanas, Tikrasis baklažanas
Lb: Aubergine
Mk: Модар патлиџан
Mg: Baranjely
Ms: Terung
Ml: വഴുതന
Mt: Brunġiel
Gv: Lus ny h-oohyn
Mr: वांगे
Nv: Ayęęzhii yiltʼąąʼí
Ne: भान्टा
No: Aubergine
Oc: Aubergina
Or: ବାଇଗଣ
Os: Баклажан
Pa: ਬੈਂਗਨ
Ps: بانجان
Fa: بادنجان
Pl: Psianka podłużna
Pt: Berinjela, Beringela
Pt-br: Berinjela
Ro: Vânătă
Ru: Баклажан
Sa: वृन्ताकः
Sr: Плави патлиџан
Sd: واڱڻ
Sk: Ľuľok baklažánový, Baklažán
Es: Berenjena, Jajčevec
Su: Térong
Sw: Mbiringani
Sv: Aubergin, Aubergine, Äggört
Tl: Talong
Zh-tw: 茄
Tg: Боқлаҷон
Ta: கத்தரி
Tt: Битенгән
Te: వంకాయ
Th: มะเขือยาว
Bo: རྡོ་ལུ་མ།
Ti: መለንዛና
To: Paingani
Tr: Patlıcan, Patlican
Ug: Çeyze
Uk: Баклажан
Ur: بینگن
Uz: Baqlajon
Vi: Cà tím
Wa: Åberdjene
Cy: Planhigyn ŵy
Yi: פאטלעזשאן
Za: Lwggwz
Synonyms
- Solanum esculentum (Dunal)
- Solanum violaceum (DC. ex Dunal)
- Solanum oviferum (Salisb.)
- Solanum album (Noronha)
- Solanum trongum var. rumphii (Dunal)
- Solanum plumieri (Dunal)
- Solanum ovigerum var. violaceum (Sweet)
- Solanum melongena var. serpentinum (L.H.Bailey)
- Solanum edule var. multifidum (Dunal)
- Solanum melongena var. ovigera (Pers.)
- Solanum ovigerum subsp. sinuatorepandum (Dunal)
- Solanum ovigerum subsp. subrepandum (Dunal)
- Solanum ovigerum var. ruber (Sweet)
- Solanum melongena var. violaceum ((Alef.) Dikii)
- Solanum melongena var. variegatum ((Alef.) Dikii)
- Solanum pseudoundatum var. leucocarpon (Blume)
- Solanum ovigerum var. ovum-album (Dunal)
- Melongena teres (Mill.)
- Solanum sativum var. atropurpurascens ((Blume) Dunal)
- Solanum ovigerum var. insanum (Blume)
- Melongena ovata (Mill.)
- Solanum melongenum (St.-Lag.)
- Melongena esculenta ((Dunal) Grecescu)
- Solanum pseudoundatum var. albiflorum (Blume)
- Solanum pseudoundatum var. atropurpurascens (Blume)
- Solanum trilobatum (Noronha)
- Solanum pressum (Dunal)
- Solanum melongena subsp. agreste (Dikii)
- Solanum album var. richardii (Dunal)
- Solanum melongena var. racemosum (Dikii)
- Solanum sativum var. albiflorum ((Blume) Dunal)
- Solanum melongena var. angustum (Dikii)
- Solanum ovigerum (Dunal)
- Solanum trongum (Poir.)
- Solanum ovigerum var. album (Sweet)
- Solanum requienii (Dunal)
- Solanum ovigerum var. oblongocylindricum (Dunal)
- Solanum melongena var. viride (Dikii)
- Solanum melongena var. giganteum ((Alef.) Dikii)
- Solanum melongena var. leucoum ((Alef.) Dikii)
- Solanum melongena var. stenoleucum ((Alef.) Dikii)
- Solanum ovigerum var. ovum-rubens (Dunal)
- Melongena spinosa (Mill.)
- Melongena incurva (Mill.)
- Solanum pseudoundatum (Blume)
- Solanum album var. rumphii (Dunal)
- Solanum serpentinum (Noronha)
- Solanum ovigerum var. luteum (Sweet)
- Solanum esculentum var. subinerme (Dunal)
- Solanum ovigerum var. ovum-luteum (Dunal)
- Solanum sativum (Dunal)
- Solanum sativum var. leucocarpon ((Blume) Dunal)
- Solanum edule (Schumach. & Thonn.)
- Solanum zeylanicum (Scop.)
- Solanum tomentosum (Hasselt ex Miq.)
- Solanum melongena var. cylindricum (Dikii)
- Solanum melongena var. racemiflorum (Dikii)
- Solanum trongum var. divaricatum (Dunal)
- Solanum lagenarium (Dunal)
- Solanum aethiopicum var. violaceum (Dunal)
- Solanum melongena var. globosi (Dikii)
- Solanum esculentum var. aculeatum (Dunal)
- Solanum melongena var. esculentum ((Dunal) Walp.)
Distribution
- China South-Central (native)
- Laos (native)
- Malaya (native)
- Myanmar (native)
- Thailand (native)
- Vietnam (native)
- Assam (introduced)
- Bangladesh (introduced)
- Cambodia (introduced)
- East Himalaya (introduced)
- India (introduced)
- Kazakhstan (introduced)
- Laccadive Is. (introduced)
- Sri Lanka (introduced)
- Tadzhikistan (introduced)
- Turkmenistan (introduced)
- Uzbekistan (introduced)
- Zaïre (introduced)
Additional Images
Flower
Taken Oct 18, 2019 by jose (cc-by-sa)
Taken Oct 18, 2019 by jose (cc-by-sa)
Taken Oct 18, 2019 by jose (cc-by-sa)
Taken Oct 18, 2019 by jose (cc-by-sa)
Taken Oct 18, 2019 by jose (cc-by-sa)
© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
Fruit
Taken Dec 22, 2020 by michele sisto (cc-by-sa)
Taken Oct 12, 2017 by Pep Secem (cc-by-sa)
Taken Oct 12, 2017 by Pep Secem (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jul 15, 2017 by Mehmet Basbag (cc-by-sa)
Taken Oct 18, 2019 by jose (cc-by-sa)
Habit
Taken Nov 6, 2021 by Sabin Poenariu (cc-by-sa)
Taken Oct 14, 2022 by Ya Eric (cc-by-sa)
Taken Aug 18, 2022 by Fabrice Rubio (cc-by-sa)
Taken Aug 10, 2021 by Jacques Zuber (cc-by-sa)
Taken Aug 16, 2021 by Stevenazzi Fabio (cc-by-sa)
Leaf
Taken Aug 16, 2021 by Stevenazzi Fabio (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jul 15, 2021 by Ник Елена (cc-by-sa)
Taken Oct 12, 2017 by Pep Secem (cc-by-sa)
Taken Oct 12, 2017 by Pep Secem (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jun 21, 2021 by ismael asum (cc-by-sa)
Other
Taken Jul 3, 2022 by Angeline Pallini (cc-by-sa)
Taken Apr 28, 2015 by Samuel Dufour-Kowalski (cc-by-sa)
Taken Sep 5, 2012 by Tela Botanica − George FOWLER (cc-by-sa)
Taken Aug 7, 2021 by Giode Tonpino (cc-by-sa)
Taken Sep 3, 2017 by Carolin Schmidt – Habimana (cc-by-sa)
Bark
Taken Apr 28, 2015 by Samuel Dufour-Kowalski (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jul 30, 2021 by Sabin Poenariu (cc-by-sa)
Taken Nov 6, 2021 by Sabin Poenariu (cc-by-sa)
Taken Apr 21, 2022 by Juthika chutia (cc-by-sa)
Taken Apr 28, 2015 by Samuel Dufour-Kowalski (cc-by-sa)
Sources
- WFO (No URL)
- POWO (http://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:820053-1)
- GBIF (https://www.gbif.org/species/2930617)
- PlantNet (https://identify.plantnet.org/species/the-plant-list/Solanum melongena L.)