Enchanter's Nightshade

Appearance

General: Herbaceous, juicy perennial from slender rhizomes, the stem 1-4 dm. tall, simple to freely-branched, clear green, glabrous below, with short, soft hairs above and in the inflorescence.
Leaves: Leaves opposite, petiolate, the blades ovate to cordate-ovate, acuminate, entire or with widely-spaced, small teeth, 2-6 cm. long, with fine, appressed hairs, especially on the underside..
Flowers: Inflorescence of axillary racemes, often with 1 or 2 linear bracts at the base; pedicels spreading to erect in flower, becoming reflexed and equaling the fruit; calyx tube very short, 2-lobed, the lobes reflexed; petals 2, white, notched, 1-1.5 mm. long; ovary inferior, 2-celled; stamens 2.
Fruits: Capsule 2-celled, top-shaped, 2 mm. long, covered with short, hooked hairs.

Distribution

Both sides of the Cascades in Washington; Alaska to Newfoundland, south (mostly in the mountains) to California and Georgia.

Habitat

Cool, damp woods, low to mid-elevations in the mountains.