Solanum chenopodioides
Solanum rostratum
tall nightshade, velvety nightshade, whitetip nightshade
buffalo berry, buffalo-bur, buffalobur nightshade, horned nightshade, spiny 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 2–10 cm;
blade simple to twice-compound, ovate to elliptic, (2–)4–16 × 3–12 cm, margins lobed to 1–2 times divided with 2–4 main leaflets per side, leaflets with deep, rounded lobes, base truncate to subcordate.
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, unbranched, 5–12-flowered, 4–11 cm.
0.5–1 cm in flower and fruit, reflexed downward in fruit.
0.5–1.5 cm in flower, erect and 0.5–1.5 cm 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.
bilaterally symmetric;
calyx accrescent and tightly covering fruit, densely prickly or bristly, 7.5–12.5 mm, densely stellate-pubescent, lobes linear to lanceolate;
corolla yellow, rotate-pentagonal, 1.5–3.5 cm diam., with abundant interpetalar tissue;
stamens unequal, lowermost much longer and curved;
anthers narrow and tapered, dehiscent by terminal pores, short anthers 4, yellow, 6–8 mm, longer anther reddish or purplish, 10–14 mm;
ovary glabrous.
dull purplish black, globose, 0.5–1 cm diam., glabrous, without sclerotic granules.
brown, globose, 1–1.2 cm diam., glabrous, dry, without sclerotic granules.
pale yellow, flattened, 1–1.5 × 1–1.5 mm, minutely pitted.
dark brown, flattened, 2–3 × 1.8–2 mm, minutely pitted and irregularly ridged.
= 24.
= 24.
Solanum chenopodioides
Solanum rostratum
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 rostratum is widespread in the central Mexican highlands from Chihuahua and Coahuila to Puebla and Oaxaca, and its native range likely extends from Mexico City north to the United States Great Plains. It is widely introduced outside this presumed area of origin.
Solanum rostratum is considered a noxious weed in several states. It is often invasive in gardens, pastures, and disturbed areas. The plants are extremely spiny, and there are reports of pigs being poisoned by eating the berries and roots. This species is thought to be the original host of the Colorado potato beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata) before potatoes were widely cultivated in the western and central United States. The beetle then adopted potatoes as its primary host and rapidly spread eastward.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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