Solanum nigrum L.

Flora Zambesiaca. Vol. 8, Part 4. Solanaceae. Gonçalves AE. 2005

Morphology General

Erect or widely spreading annual to short-lived perennial, sometimes forming dense clumps up to 2 m across and 1. 5 m high, (5)25–70(150) cm tall, sometimes flushed with purple, pubescent to villous with simple, curved, usually appressed, eglandular or glandular hairs, glabrescent

Morphology Branches

Branches ± angular to narrowly winged, the edges smooth or with widely spaced short teeth or prickle-like hairs Branches ± angular to narrowly winged, the edges smooth or with widely spaced short teeth or prickle-like hairs.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves solitary or sometimes paired; petiole 0.3–6.5 cm long, ± narrowly winged distally; lamina 2–14 × 0.7–7.3 cm, elliptic to ovate-lanceolate or ovate, base sub-truncate or rounded to cuneate, oblique, ± decurrent into the petiole, apex acute or obtuse, ± acuminate, entire to sinuate-dentate, both surfaces ± pubescent, with more numerous hairs along the veins and towards the margins, glabrescent Leaves solitary or sometimes paired; petiole 0.3–6.5 cm long, ± narrowly winged distally; lamina 2–14 × 0.7–7.3 cm, elliptic to ovate-lanceolate or ovate, base sub-truncate or rounded to cuneate, oblique, ± decurrent into the petiole, apex acute or obtuse, ± acuminate, entire to sinuate-dentate, both surfaces ± pubescent, with more numerous hairs along the veins and towards the margins, glabrescent.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Cymes lateral, unbranched, lax and often extended, (3)5–10-flowered; peduncle 0.3–2 cm long, slender, erect or ascending, in fruit occasionally elongated a little, ascending to deflexed; pedicels 3–8.5 mm long, slender, decurved to ascending, in fruit elongated to 12 mm, deflexed Cymes lateral, unbranched, lax and often extended, (3)5–10-flowered; peduncle 0.3–2 cm long, slender, erect or ascending, in fruit occasionally elongated a little, ascending to deflexed; pedicels 3–8.5 mm long, slender, decurved to ascending, in fruit elongated to 12 mm, deflexed.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx 1. 2–2.5 mm long, campanulate, in fruit elongated to 3.5 mm; lobes 0.3–1. 2 × 0.3–1. 2 mm, obovate, semi-elliptic or ovate to ± triangular, rounded to acute, sparsely pubescent with more numerous hairs towards the apex outside, in fruit enlarged to 3 × 2 mm, appressed or scarcely reflexed Calyx 1.2–2.5 mm long, campanulate, in fruit elongated to 3.5 mm; lobes 0.3–1.2 × 0.3–1.2 mm, obovate, semi-elliptic or ovate to ± triangular, rounded to acute, sparsely pubescent with more numerous hairs towards the apex outside, in fruit enlarged to 3 × 2 mm, appressed or scarcely reflexed.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla white, cream or yellowish, with or without a conspicuous yellow-green eye, rarely flushed with purple or pale blue, (4)5–7(9) mm across, rotate or stelliform; lobes 1. 5–4 × 0.8–2.3 mm, oblong or ovate to lanceolate, rarely linear, ± acute, puberulous outside Corolla white, cream or yellowish, with or without a conspicuous yellow-green eye, rarely flushed with purple or pale blue, (4)5–7(9) mm across, rotate or stelliform; lobes 1.5–4 × 0.8–2.3 mm, oblong or ovate to lanceolate, rarely linear, ± acute, puberulous outside.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamen filaments 0.3–1. 5 mm long; anthers 1. 5–2.5(2.8) mm long, oblong Stamen filaments 0.3–1.5 mm long; anthers 1.5–2.5(2.8) mm long, oblong.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary

Ovary c.  1 mm in diameter, ± globose to ellipsoid, glabrous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style

Style 2–4.5 mm long, straight or sigmoidal, the stigma level with the tip of the anthers or protruding by up to 2 mm

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruits often dull, black or purplish-black to yellow-green, opaque, 6–10 mm in diameter, usually broadly ovoid, smooth, usually without sclerotic granules, glabrous, edible when mature Fruits often dull, black or purplish-black to yellow-green, opaque, 6–10 mm in diameter, usually broadly ovoid, smooth, usually without sclerotic granules, glabrous, edible when mature.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds with light bone-colour and sometimes flushed with purple, 1. 7–2.4 mm long, ± obovate in outline, minutely pitted all over Seeds with light bone-colour and sometimes flushed with purple, 1.7–2.4 mm long, ± obovate in outline, minutely pitted all over.

Note

Chromosome number: 2n=72 Common name: "Black Nightshade." Hawkes & Edmonds in Fl. Europaea 3: 197 (1972), R.J.F. Henderson in Contr. Queensland Herb. 6: 19–25 (1974) and Edmonds & Chweya, loc. cit. (1997) recognized two subspecies, viz.: subsp. nigrum, covered with multicellular, appressed, eglandular hairs, and subsp. schultesii (Opiz) Wessely, covered with denser indumentum of multicellular, spreading, mostly glandular hairs. These distinctions are not very clearly applicable everywhere. The specimens Biegel 1767 and Takaindisa 7, cited above from Zimbabwe, may prove to be Solanum tarderemotum on reconsideration.

Ecology

Forest, mostly at the edges, riverine vegetation, thickets, open scrub, woodland, wooded grassland, mountain slopes, floodplains, waste and cultivated ground (gardens and fields), ruderal places and waysides, in moist and dry situations; up to c. 2000 m.

Distribution

CPV, BOT N, BOT SW, BOT SE, ZAM B, ZAM N, ZAM W, ZAM C, ZAM E, ZAM S, ZIM N, ZIM E, ZIM S, MAL S, MOZ Z, MOZ T, MOZ MS, MOZ GI, MOZ M Originally possibly from Eurasia (fide R.J.F. Henderson in tom. cit.: 27 (1974)) or from the Middle East or even India (fide Tandon & Rao in Nature 201, 4926: 1348–1349 (1964)); widely distributed from temperate to tropical regions, and with rare occurren Mozambique Zimbabwe Zambia Malawi Caprivi Strip. Botswana.

Morphology General Habit

Erect or widely spreading annual to short-lived perennial, sometimes forming dense clumps up to 2 m across and 1.5 m high, (5)25–70(150) cm tall, sometimes flushed with purple, pubescent to villous with simple, curved, usually appressed, eglandular or glandular hairs, glabrescent.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil

Ovary c. 1 mm in diameter, ± globose to ellipsoid, glabrous; style 2–4.5 mm long, straight or sigmoidal, the stigma level with the tip of the anthers or protruding by up to 2 mm.

Cytology

Chromosome number: 2n=72.

Use Food

Used for food.

Use Medicines

Medical uses.