Solanum nitidibaccatum
Solanum douglasii
hairy nightshade, hoe nightshade
Douglas' nightshade, greenspot nightshade
petiolate;
petiole 0.5–3 cm;
blade simple, ovate to lanceolate, 2–10 × 1–5 cm, margins entire to sinuate-dentate, 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.
usually extra-axillary, occasionally leaf-opposed, unbranched, 4–8(–10)-flowered, 1–2 cm.
extra-axillary or leaf-opposed, unbranched, racemelike, 2–7(–14)-flowered, 2–4 cm.
spreading to reflexed and 0.4–1 cm in flower and fruit.
0.5–1 cm in flower and fruit, nodding or deflexed downward in fruit.
radially symmetric;
calyx accrescent and covering ca. one-half berry, unarmed, 3–4 mm, sparsely to moderately pubescent, lobes broadly triangular;
corolla white with yellowish central star edged with reddish purple to dark brown, rotate-stellate, 0.5–1 cm diam., with sparse interpetalar tissue;
stamens equal;
anthers ellipsoidal, 1–1.4 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.
shiny greenish to purplish brown, globose, 0.5–1 cm diam., glabrous, with (0–)2–3 sclerotic granules.
dull purplish black, globose, 0.5–1 cm diam., glabrous, with (2–)6–8 sclerotic granules per fruit.
yellow to brown, flattened, 1.5–2.5 × 1.5–2 mm, minutely pitted.
pale yellow to tan, flattened, 1.5–2 × 1–1.5 mm, finely reticulate.
= 24.
= 24.
Solanum nitidibaccatum
Solanum douglasii
Solanum nitidibaccatum has often been confused with and misidentified as S. sarrachoides, which has a much longer fruiting calyx that nearly covers the mature berry. Solanum nitidibaccatum also differs from S. sarrachoides in its smaller leaves, larger number of flowers per inflorescence (four to eight versus three or four in S. sarrachoides), and fruits with usually two or three sclerotic granules (versus four to six in S. sarrachoides).
Most references to Solanum sarrachoides in North American floras are actually S. nitidibaccatum. Solanum nitidibaccatum has also been confused with S. villosum Miller (R. L. McGregor 1986). J. M. Edmonds (1986) regarded S. nitidibaccatum as a variety of S. physalifolium, but the two taxa are now recognized as distinct species, with S. physalifolium restricted to South America. The name S. physalifolium, however, has been used for S. nitidibaccatum in a number of North American floras.
Solanum nitidibaccatum is currently considered to be native to both North and South America. It is a common weed in cultivated fields in the Great Plains, Pacific Northwest, and adjacent parts of Canada.
(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.)
- Local floras:
OR - Local Web sites:
CalFlora, CalPhotos, 
Flora NW, 
MN Wildflowers, 
MO Plants, 
PNW Herbaria 
WildflowerSearch
iNaturalist (observations)- LBJ Wildflower Center
- SEINet
- Plants of the World Online
- Encyclopedia of Life
- Wikipedia
- Google Image Search
USDA Plants Database
