Solanum nigrescens
Solanum tampicense
divine nightshade
aquatic soda apple, scrambling nightshade
petiolate;
petiole 0.5–2 cm;
blade simple, ovate to ovate-elliptic, 4–10.5 × 2–5 cm, margins entire or shallowly sinuate-dentate, base decurrent.
petiolate;
petiole 1–4 cm;
blade simple, ovate, 4–16 × 2–6 cm, margins shallowly to moderately lobed with 2–5 lobes per side, lobe margins entire, base cuneate and slightly decurrent.
extra-axillary or leaf-opposed, unbranched, umbel-like to racemelike, (2–)5–10-flowered, 1–3.5 cm.
extra-axillary, unbranched, 3–10-flowered, 1–4 cm.
spreading and 0.5–1 cm in flower, spreading and 1–1.5 cm in fruit.
0.5–2 cm in flower and fruit.
radially symmetric;
calyx not accrescent, unarmed, 1–2 mm, sparsely pubescent, lobes deltate;
corolla white, rarely purplish, often with green or purplish central star, stellate, 1–1.5 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, sometimes prickly, 2–5 mm, glabrous, lobes narrowly triangular;
corolla white to cream, stellate, 1.5–2 cm diam., without interpetalar tissue;
stamens equal;
anthers narrow and tapered, 4–6 mm, dehiscent by terminal pores;
ovary glabrous.
dull green or purplish, globose, 0.5–0.8 cm diam., glabrous, with (4–)5–6(–13) sclerotic granules.
red, globose, 0.5–0.8 cm diam., glabrous, without sclerotic granules.
tan, flattened, 1.2–1.5 × 1–1.1 mm, finely pitted.
yellow, flattened, 1.5–2 × 1–1.5 mm, minutely pitted and ridged.
= 24.
Solanum nigrescens
Solanum tampicense
Solanum nigrescens is widespread in Central and northern South America and the Caribbean and extends northward into the southeastern United States along the Gulf Coast and slightly inland. Where sympatric with S. americanum, it can be distinguished by its longer anthers and dull green or purplish berries with appressed to spreading calyx lobes. Plants collected as weeds in rice and sugarcane fields of Louisiana and provisionally identified as the Chinese species S. merrillianum T. N. Liou are somewhat intermediate between S. americanum and S. nigrescens and could represent recent hybrid populations (S. Knapp et al. 2019). Solanum nigrescens differs from S. douglasii in its shorter anthers and longer filaments relative to anther length; moreover, S. douglasii is usually found west of the Rocky Mountains, whereas S. nigrescens occurs in the southeastern United States. The ranges of S. nigrescens and S. interius overlap (for example, in Texas). Solanum nigrescens may be distinguished from S. interius by its usually acute calyx lobes, smaller seeds, and more numerous sclerotic granules in the fruits. Solanum nigrescens differs from S. nigrum in its more slender peduncles and pedicels, smaller seeds, and fruits with sclerotic granules.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
In the flora area, Solanum tampicense is found in central and southern Florida. A single population was found in 2016 in Cameron County, Texas. It was first collected in Florida in 1983, and although not common, it has the potential to become invasive. It is listed by the United States federal government and several states as a noxious weed. It is a species of riverbanks and swamps, where it can form impenetrable, spiny thickets.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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