Solanum nigrum
Solanum umbelliferum
black nightshade, European black nightshade
blue nightshade, blue witch, blue witch or chaparral nightshade, bluewitch nightshade
petiolate;
petiole 0.5–3 cm;
blade simple, ovate, 3.5–7 × 2.2–5 cm, margins entire to coarsely toothed with 3–5 lobes per side, base truncate to cuneate.
petiolate;
petiole 0.2–1.5(–3) cm;
blade simple, lanceolate to ovate or obovate, (0.5–)1–4(–9) × 0.5–2(–6.5) cm, margins entire to pinnatifid with 1(–3) pairs of lobes at base, lobe margins entire to undulate, base attenuate to truncate, occasionally subcordate.
extra-axillary, unbranched or occasionally forked, racemelike, (3–)4–10-flowered, 1–2 cm.
terminal or lateral, leaf-opposed or extra-axillary, simple or once-branched, 5–20-flowered, 1–8 cm.
0.5–1 cm, spreading to occasionally recurved in flower and fruit.
inserted into small sleeve on inflorescence axis, 0.5–1.5 cm in flower, 1.2–2 cm in fruit.
radially symmetric;
calyx not accrescent, unarmed, 1.5–2 mm, sparsely pubescent, lobes deltate, spreading to reflexed in fruit;
corolla white with yellowish central star, stellate, 1–1.5 cm diam., without interpetalar tissue;
stamens equal;
anthers ellipsoidal, (1.8–)2–2.5 mm, dehiscent by terminal pores that open into longitudinal slits;
ovary glabrous.
radially symmetric;
calyx slightly accrescent, unarmed, 2.5–5.5 mm, glabrous to densely pubescent, hairs unbranched or dendritic, lobes broadly deltate;
corolla pale to deep purple or occasionally white, with green spots edged with white at base of lobes, spots separate or confluent, rotate, (1–)1.3–2.5 cm diam., with abundant interpetalar tissue;
stamens equal;
anthers ellipsoidal, slightly tapered, 3.5–4.5 mm, dehiscent by terminal pores that open into longitudinal slits;
ovary glabrous.
dull or slightly shiny purple-black or green to yellowish green, globose, 0.5–1 cm diam., glabrous, without sclerotic granules.
green, greenish black, or black, globose, 1–2 cm diam., glabrous, without sclerotic granules.
yellow, flattened, 1.8–2 × 1.5–1.6 mm, minutely pitted.
reddish brown, flattened, ca. 2 × 1.5 mm, minutely pitted.
= 72.
Solanum nigrum
Solanum umbelliferum
Many regional floras have used Solanum nigrum as the name for various species in the black nightshade group, and it can be difficult to distinguish this species from S. emulans and S. nigrescens. Solanum nigrum can be distinguished from the native North American species of the black nightshade group (S. americanum, S. douglasii, S. emulans, S. interius, S. nigrescens) by its thicker peduncles and pedicels, larger seeds, and fruits lacking sclerotic granules. Solanum nigrum was probably introduced from northern Europe and has been locally naturalized in North America.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Solanum umbelliferum is common in the western part of North America from Washington to Baja California. It is found throughout California except for Modoc Plateau, Desert Province, and Central Valley.
Past treatments have divided Solanum umbelliferum into a number of taxa based on leaf size and shape and pubescence type and density, but the most recent monograph (S. Knapp 2013) regarded it as one highly variable and widespread species in which no character discontinuities can be seen. Glabrous populations from northern California have been called S. parishii, sticky-glandular populations from central and southern California S. xanti, glabrous populations from southern California have been called var. glabrescens, and densely pubescent eglandular populations from central California have been called S. californicum Dunal. Island populations with larger leaves have been called S. clokeyi (but see 52. S. wallacei, a distinct endemic on Santa Catalina Island). A number of new varietal combinations were published by D. J. Keil (2018) to accommodate much of this regional and local variation, but the group needs thorough study using both molecular and morphological analysis across its range to assess the taxonomic validity of these segregants. Some of the variation may be environmental.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
- Local floras:
BC, 
CA, 
OR, 
WA - Local Web sites: CalFlora, CalPhotos,
Flora NW, 
Go Botany, 
MD Biodiversity, 
MO Plants, 
PNW Herbaria, Turner Photog. 
WildflowerSearch
iNaturalist (observations)
USDA Plants Database- LBJ Wildflower Center
- SEINet
- Plants of the World Online
- Encyclopedia of Life
- Wikipedia
- Google Image Search
