familySolanaceae
genusSolanum
speciesSolanum nigrum

Solanum nigrum

Linnaeus

Sp. Pl. 1: 186. 1753.

Lynn Bohs1, 1The author wishes to acknowledge co-authorship with David M. Spooner† on S. jamesii and S. stoloniferum and with Sandra Knapp and Tiina Särkinen on the black nightshade species.
Common names: Black nightshade morelle noire
WeedyIntroduced
Synonyms: Solanum nigrum subsp. schultesii (Opiz) Wessely
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 14.

Herbs, annual or perennial, erect or sprawling, unarmed, to 1 m, glabrescent to moderately pubescent, hairs unbranched, to 1 mm, usually eglandular or occasionally glandular. Leaves 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. Inflorescences extra-axillary, unbranched or occasionally forked, racemelike, (3–)4–10-flowered, 1–2 cm. Pedicels 0.5–1 cm, spreading to occasion­ally recurved in flower and fruit. Flowers 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. Berries dull or slightly shiny purple-black or green to yellowish green, globose, 0.5–1 cm diam., glabrous, without sclerotic granules. Seeds yel­low, flattened, 1.8–2 × 1.5–1.6 mm, minutely pitted. 2n = 72.


Phenology: Flowering May–Oct.
Habitat: Disturbed areas, irrigated fields.
Elevation: 0–2200 m.

Distribution

Introduced; B.C., N.S., Ont., Alaska, Calif., D.C., Fla., Ga., Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Md., Mass., Mo., Mont., Nev., N.J., N.Y., N.C., Okla., Oreg., Pa., Tex., Utah, Va., Wash., Eurasia, n Africa, introduced also in Pacific Islands (New Zealand), Australia.

Discussion

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.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.
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Author
Lynn Bohs1 +  and 1The author wishes to acknowledge co-authorship with David M. Spooner† on S. jamesii and S. stoloniferum and with Sandra Knapp and Tiina Särkinen on the black nightshade species. +
Authority
Linnaeus +
Common name
Black nightshade +  and morelle noire +
Distribution
B.C. +, N.S. +, Ont. +, Alaska +, Calif. +, D.C. +, Fla. +, Ga. +, Idaho +, Iowa +, Maine +, Md. +, Mass. +, Mo. +, Mont. +, Nev. +, N.J. +, N.Y. +, N.C. +, Okla. +, Oreg. +, Pa. +, Tex. +, Utah +, Va. +, Wash. +, Eurasia +, n Africa +, introduced also in Pacific Islands (New Zealand) +  and Australia. +
Elevation
0–2200 m. +
Habitat
Disturbed areas, irrigated fields. +
Introduced
true +
Number of lower taxa
0 +
Phenology
Flowering May–Oct. +
Publication title
Sp. Pl. +
Publication year
1753 +
Reference
None +
Special status
Weedy +  and Introduced +
Synonyms
Solanum nigrum subsp. schultesii +
Taxon family
Solanaceae +
Taxon name
Solanum nigrum +
Taxon parent
Solanum +
Taxon rank
species +
Volume
Volume 14 +