Page authors: Don Knoke, David Giblin
Solanum nigrum
European black nightshade
Specimens
Photos

Distribution: Occurring on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; Alaska to California, east in scattered locations across North America to the Atlantic Coast.

Habitat: Fields, roadsides and other disturbed sites, especially in moister areas; often in urban and suburban areas.

Flowers: July-November

Origin: Introduced from Europe

Growth Duration: Annual

Conservation Status: Not of concern

Pollination: Bumblebees, bees, flies

Description:
General:

Mostly glabrous annual from a taproot, the branching stem 1.5-6 dm. tall.

Leaves:

Leaves petiolate, the blade ovate to deltoid, 2-8 cm. long and 1-5.5 cm. wide, nearly entire or with a few blunt teeth.

Flowers:

Inflorescence of numerous ascending, few-flowered peduncles, 0.5-2.5 cm. long, attached along the stem or opposite the leaves, the pedicels drooping, clustered; calyx 2-3 mm. long, the 5 lobes unequal; corolla nearly rotate, 5-lobed, white or faintly bluish, 5-10 mm. wide, the lobes reflexed; stamens 5, the anthers conspicuous, yellow; style solitary; ovary superior.

Fruits:

Fruit a black berry, globose, 8 mm. thick.

Accepted Name:
Solanum nigrum L.
Publication: Sp. Pl. 1: 186. 1753.

Synonyms & Misapplications:
(none provided)
Infraspecies:
Additional Resources:

PNW Herbaria: Specimen records of Solanum nigrum in the Consortium of Pacific Northwest Herbaria database

WA Flora Checklist: Solanum nigrum checklist entry

OregonFlora: Solanum nigrum information

E-Flora BC: Solanum nigrum atlas page

CalPhotos: Solanum nigrum photos

33 photographs:
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