Solanum americanumMill. (Syn: Solanum nigrum L. subsp. nigrum ) American black nightshade

Solanum americanumMill. (Syn: Solanum nigrum L. subsp. nigrum ) - American black nightshade

Scientific Description:

Annual, subglabrous to villous, with or without stalked glandular hairs, usually blackish on drying. Stem erect, 10−70 cm, branched, angled. Leaves with lamina to 10 × 7 cm, ovate to ovate-rhombic, cuneate at base, decurrent into petiole, margin entire to sinuate-dentate, pilose on both surfaces. Cymes racemose, (2−)5−10-flowered, peduncles 15−30 mm, fruiting pedicels c. \ as long as peduncles. Calyx 2 mm, lobes triangular, subacute, with acute angles between them. Corolla white, 5−6 mm, lobes pilose outside. Berry black, globose, 7−10 mm.

 

Flowering time: June−November.

Habitat: Gravelly places, dunes, riversides, roadsides, cultivated ground, s.l.−1500 m.

 

Reference:

Baytop A (1978). Solanum nigrum L., In: Davis PH (ed.), Flora of Turkey and the East Aegean Islands, Edinburgh University Press, Edinburgh, 6: 439.

Public Description:

Solanum nigrum subs. nigrum, commonly known as “American black nightshade”, is native to Eurasia and introduced in the Americas, Australasia, and South Africa. It is an annual plant with white flowers and can be reach up to 70 cm. It blooms between June and November and is found in gravelly places, dunes, riversides, roadsides and cultivated grounds. The immature green fruits of the plant are very poisonous and have been reported to cause children to die. Matured fruits and leaves can also cause poisoning. This is because it contains many toxic chemicals. In scientific studies, extracts from American black nightshade (Solanum americanum) were found to have selective antiviral activity against the herpes simplex type-1 virus (HSV-1). Also, methanol extracts of S. americanum have high antimicrobial activity against some bacteria and fungi. Water based extracts had no antibacterial activity.

 

References:

Anonymous (2016) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solanum_nigrum /,Accessed date: 07.11.2016.

Güner A (2012) Solanum L., In: Güner, A., Aslan, S., Ekim, T., Vural, M. & Babaç, M.T. (eds.), Türkiye Bitkileri Listesi (Damarlı Bitkiler). Nezahat Gökyiğit Botanik Bahçesi ve Flora Araştırmaları Derneği Yayını. İstanbul, pp. 873.