Withania somnifera
Rennet, Winter Cherry
Other regional names: Withania
- Withania
Also known as: Alicabon somniferum (L.) Raf. +15 more
- Alicabon somniferum (L.) Raf.
- Hypnoticum somniferum (L.) Rodati ex Boiss.
- Larnax morrisonii (Dunal) Miers
- Physalis alpini J.Jacq.
- Physalis flexuosa L.
- Physalis scariosa Webb & Berthel.
- Physalis somnifera L.
- Physalis somnifera var. communis Nees
- Physalis somnifera var. flexuosa (L.) Nees
- Physalis sugunda Buch.-Ham. ex Wall.
- Physalis tomentosa Thunb.
- Physalis villosa Moench ex Steud.
- Physaloides somnifera (L.) Moench
- Withania arborescens Dunal
- Withania chevalieri A.E.Gonç.
- Withania kansuensis Kuang & A.M.Lu
Botanical Data
- Taxonomic Rank: Species
- Botanical Family: Solanaceae
- WCVP Morphological Data: Recorded natively as a subshrub or shrub.
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Withania somnifera (commonly known as Rennet or Winter Cherry) is a shrub belonging to the Solanaceae family. Indigenous to Africa, Temperate Asia, Tropical Asia, and Europe, this species is primarily associated with subtropical conditions.
Macro Climate
Subtropical
Plant Type
Shrub
Native Range
Continents (WGSRPD)
AFRICA, ASIA-TEMPERATE, ASIA-TROPICAL, EUROPE
Regions (WGSRPD)
Arabian Peninsula, China, East Tropical Africa, Indian Subcontinent, Indo-China, Macaronesia, Northeast Tropical Africa, Northern Africa, South Tropical Africa, Southeastern Europe, Southern Africa, Southwestern Europe, West Tropical Africa, West-Central Tropical Africa, Western Asia
Botanical Countries (WGSRPD L3)
Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Assam, Bangladesh, Botswana, Burundi, Cameroon, Canary Is., Cape Provinces, Cape Verde, Chad, China North-Central, China South-Central, Cyprus, Djibouti, East Aegean Is., Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Free State, Greece, Gulf States, India, Iran, Kenya, Kriti, KwaZulu-Natal, Lebanon-Syria, Lesotho, Libya, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Northern Provinces, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Rwanda, Sardegna, Saudi Arabia, Sicilia, Sinai, Somalia, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, West Himalaya, Yemen, Zambia, Zaïre, Zimbabwe
Introduced Range
An “Introduced” distribution indicates that the plant is recorded outside its native range in that region as a result of deliberate or accidental human introduction. Introduced records may include casual, naturalized or invasive populations, but do not include plants that are only cultivated or planted without self-sustaining populations.
Botanical Countries (Non-Native)
Baleares, Mauritius, New South Wales, Réunion, Socotra, South Australia