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Potato Tree can be found at elevations from sea level to 1,500 m (4,900 ft) in a variety of habitats, including riparian zones, dry forests, and moist forests. It often grows in disturbed areas, such as roadsides, fields, and waste places, and may be considered a weed. Potato Tree is a ruderal species, quickly colonizing forest gaps caused by treefall, as well as a pioneer species, able to grow on degraded mining sites prior to other vegetation.

Uses
Like other species in its genus, S. erianthum has a number of ethnobotanical and pharmaceutical uses. This is due to the presence of steroidal saponins, free genins, and steroidal alkaloids of the spirosolane group, such as solasodine and tomatidine. Alkaloids account for around 0.4% of the mass of dry berries and leaves.
Medicinal
Potato Tree has many medicinal uses in Tropical Asia. The leaves are considered to be very effective at ridding the body of impurities through the urine and are used to treat leukorrhea for that reason. The leaves are also used to induce abortion, while a poultice made from crushed leaves is used to treat hemorrhoids and scrofula. Heated leaves are applied to the forehead as an analgesic for headaches and a leaf decoction is used for vertigo. A root decoction is used to treat dysentery, fever, diarrhea, digestive problems, and violent body pains. The root bark is used as an anti-inflammatory and to treat arthritis. In West Africa, a decoction made from the leaves is used to treat leprosy, sexually-transmitted diseases, and malaria due to its laxative and diuretic effects. Steroidal alkaloids found in the plant, such as solasodine, are used by the pharmaceutical industry as precursors for the manufacture of synthetic steroids.
Non-medicinal
The leaves are used in the Philippines to clean grease from dishes. The berries are toxic to humans, causing headache, cramps, and nausea, but are cooked and eaten in Southeast Asia and made into curry in southern India. They are a component of arrow poison in Tropical Asia. Potato Tree is grown as an ornamental in the Caribbean and is an acceptable shade plant for shade-grown coffee.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solanum_erianthum

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