Solanum chenopodioides
Solanum douglasii
tall nightshade, velvety nightshade, whitetip nightshade
Douglas' nightshade, greenspot nightshade
petiolate;
petiole 1–3 cm;
blade simple, narrowly ovate to elliptic, 1.5–5(–7) × 0.5–3.5 cm, margins entire or sinuate, base cuneate to decurrent.
petiolate;
petiole 0.5–3(–7) cm;
blade simple, ovate, 1–5(–9) × 0.5–3(–6) cm, margins entire to coarsely and irregularly toothed, base truncate to acute and decurrent.
extra-axillary or leaf-opposed, unbranched or rarely forked, umbel-like, 3–7(–10)-flowered, 1–3(–4) cm, fruiting peduncles sharply reflexed from base.
extra-axillary or leaf-opposed, unbranched, racemelike, 2–7(–14)-flowered, 2–4 cm.
0.5–1 cm in flower and fruit, reflexed downward in fruit.
0.5–1 cm in flower and fruit, nodding or deflexed downward in fruit.
radially symmetric;
calyx not accrescent, unarmed, 2–3.5 mm, sparsely pubescent, lobes deltate, appressed in fruit;
corolla white or purplish, with greenish, yellowish, or brown central star, stellate, 0.8–1.5 cm diam., with sparse interpetalar tissue;
stamens equal;
anthers ellipsoidal, 2–3 mm, dehiscent by terminal pores that open into longitudinal slits;
ovary glabrous.
radially symmetric;
calyx not accrescent, unarmed, 2–3 mm, sparsely pubescent, lobes deltate;
corolla white with yellow-green to brownish central star, stellate, 1–2 cm diam., without interpetalar tissue;
stamens equal;
anthers ellipsoidal and slightly tapered towards the tips, (2.5–)3–4.5 mm, dehiscent by terminal pores that open into longitudinal slits;
ovary glabrous.
dull purplish black, globose, 0.5–1 cm diam., glabrous, without sclerotic granules.
dull purplish black, globose, 0.5–1 cm diam., glabrous, with (2–)6–8 sclerotic granules per fruit.
pale yellow, flattened, 1–1.5 × 1–1.5 mm, minutely pitted.
pale yellow to tan, flattened, 1.5–2 × 1–1.5 mm, finely reticulate.
= 24.
= 24.
Solanum chenopodioides
Solanum douglasii
Solanum chenopodioides has been introduced sporadically and is occasionally adventive in North America. It is distinctive in having the fruiting peduncles strongly reflexed downward, but is otherwise difficult to distinguish from S. pseudogracile, with which it may be conspecific.
The illegitimate superfluous name Solanum gracile Dunal has often been used for S. chenopodioides (for example, J. K. Small 1913; A. E. Radford et al. 1968). W. G. D’Arcy (1974) included S. gracile (and its replacement name S. ottonis) in the synonymy of S. nigrescens but the taxa are distinct.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Solanum douglasii is most commonly found west of the Rocky Mountains. It can be difficult to distinguish from S. nigrescens, but its longer, slightly tapered anthers on very short (relative to anther length) filaments is a good distinguishing character for plants in flower. The buds of S. douglasii are more pointed than those of S. nigrescens.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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