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cut-leaf nightshade, three flower nightshade

Douglas' nightshade, greenspot nightshade

Habit Herbs, annual, decumbent to prostrate, unarmed, to 0.4 m, fleshy, nearly glabrous to moderately pubescent, hairs unbranched, to 2 mm, eglandular, rarely glandular. Herbs or shrubs, perennial, erect, unarmed, to 1.5(–3) m, sparsely to moderately pubescent, hairs white, curved, unbranched, 0.5–1 mm, eglandular.
Leaves

petiolate;

petiole 0.5–2.5 cm;

blade simple, elliptic to oblong, 2–5 × 1–3 cm, margins shallowly lobed to deeply and regularly pinnatifid with 3–6 lobes per side, lobe margins entire or occasionally coarsely lobed, base cuneate and 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.

Inflorescences

extra-axillary, unbranched, umbel-like, 1–6-flowered, 1–3 cm.

extra-axillary or leaf-opposed, unbranched, racemelike, 2–7(–14)-flowered, 2–4 cm.

Pedicels

spreading and 0.5–1.5 cm in flower, reflexed and 0.5–1.5 cm in fruit.

0.5–1 cm in flower and fruit, nodding or deflexed downward in fruit.

Flowers

radially symmetric;

calyx accrescent and covering base of berry, unarmed, 2–4(–7) mm, moderately pubescent, lobes deltate, reflexed;

corolla white or light purple with green or purplish central star, stellate, 0.5–1 cm diam., with sparse interpetalar tissue;

stamens equal;

anthers narrowly ellipsoidal, 2.5–4 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.

Berries

shiny dark green to purplish black, globose, 0.8–2 cm diam., glabrous, with 13–30 sclerotic granules.

dull purplish black, globose, 0.5–1 cm diam., glabrous, with (2–)6–8 sclerotic granules per fruit.

Seeds

yellow, plump, 2–3 × 2–2.5 mm, minutely pitted.

pale yellow to tan, flattened, 1.5–2 × 1–1.5 mm, finely reticulate.

2n

= 24.

= 24.

Solanum triflorum

Solanum douglasii

Phenology Flowering Apr–Sep. Flowering Mar–Nov (nearly year-round in Calif.).
Habitat Disturbed areas, roadsides, stream banks, along railroad tracks, prairie dog towns. Dry shrubland, woodland, rocky slopes, stream banks, canyons.
Elevation (0–)700–2900 m. ((0–)2300–9500 ft.) 0–2500 m. (0–8200 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
AZ; CA; CO; IA; ID; KS; MA; MI; MN; MO; MT; ND; NE; NM; NV; OK; OR; SD; TX; UT; WA; WY; AB; BC; MB; SK; South America (Argentina) [Introduced in Europe, Africa, Australia]
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AZ; CA; NM; TX; Mexico; West Indies (Guadeloupe); Central America (El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua)
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Solanum triflorum is found in South America (Argentina) and is also considered to be native to central and western North America. It is occasionally adventive in the eastern United States. It is poisonous to livestock and can become a serious weed in cultivated fields, especially in the Great Plains.

(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.)

Source FNA vol. 14. FNA vol. 14.
Parent taxa Solanaceae > Solanum Solanaceae > Solanum
Sibling taxa
S. americanum, S. aviculare, S. bahamense, S. campechiense, S. capsicoides, S. carolinense, S. chenopodioides, S. citrullifolium, S. cordicitum, S. davisense, S. deflexum, S. dimidiatum, S. diphyllum, S. donianum, S. douglasii, S. dulcamara, S. elaeagnifolium, S. emulans, S. erianthum, S. furcatum, S. hindsianum, S. interius, S. jamaicense, S. jamesii, S. laciniatum, S. lanceolatum, S. lumholtzianum, S. lycopersicum, S. marginatum, S. mauritianum, S. nigrescens, S. nigrum, S. nitidibaccatum, S. novomexicanum, S. perplexum, S. pseudocapsicum, S. pseudogracile, S. pumilum, S. rostratum, S. sarrachoides, S. seaforthianum, S. setigeroides, S. sisymbriifolium, S. stoloniferum, S. tampicense, S. tenuipes, S. torvum, S. triquetrum, S. umbelliferum, S. viarum, S. wallacei
S. americanum, S. aviculare, S. bahamense, S. campechiense, S. capsicoides, S. carolinense, S. chenopodioides, S. citrullifolium, S. cordicitum, S. davisense, S. deflexum, S. dimidiatum, S. diphyllum, S. donianum, S. dulcamara, S. elaeagnifolium, S. emulans, S. erianthum, S. furcatum, S. hindsianum, S. interius, S. jamaicense, S. jamesii, S. laciniatum, S. lanceolatum, S. lumholtzianum, S. lycopersicum, S. marginatum, S. mauritianum, S. nigrescens, S. nigrum, S. nitidibaccatum, S. novomexicanum, S. perplexum, S. pseudocapsicum, S. pseudogracile, S. pumilum, S. rostratum, S. sarrachoides, S. seaforthianum, S. setigeroides, S. sisymbriifolium, S. stoloniferum, S. tampicense, S. tenuipes, S. torvum, S. triflorum, S. triquetrum, S. umbelliferum, S. viarum, S. wallacei
Synonyms S. arizonicum
Name authority Nuttall: Gen. N. Amer. Pl. 1: 128. (1818) Dunal in A. P. de Candolle and A. L. P. P. de Candolle: Prodr. 13(1): 48. (1852)
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