Plants with toxic alkaloids - University of Washington

Plants with toxic Saponins: Solanum tuberosum
Some notorious non-edible nightshades include
tobacco, petunias, jimson weed, mandrake, and
deadly nightshade. The family also comprises well
known food plants such as potatoes, tomatoes,
green peppers, chili peppers, eggplants and
tomatillos.. Genetic testing of proved a single
origin for potatoes in the area of present-day
southern Peru from a species in the Solanum
brevicaule where they were domesticated 7,000–
10,000 years ago.
Wild potato contain sufficient saponins of the
steroid type to warrant caution.
Some potato varieties produce small green fruits that resemble
green cherry tomatoes, each containing up to 300 true seeds.
Potato fruit contains large amounts of the toxic alkaloid
solanine and is therefore unsuitable for consumption. All new
potato varieties are grown from seeds, also called "true seed" or
"botanical seed" to distinguish it from seed tubers.