Solanum americanum

Solanum americanum
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Asterids
Order:	Solanales
Family:	Solanaceae
Genus:	Solanum
Species:	S. americanum
Binomial name
Solanum americanum Mill.
Synonyms
Solanum adventitium Polgar Solanum amarantoides Dunal Solanum americanum var. nodiflorum (Jacq.) Edmonds Solanum caribaeum Dunal Solanum curtipes Bitter Solanum depilatum Bitter Solanum ganchouenense H. Lév. Solanum gollmeri Bitter Solanum humile Lam. Solanum imerinense Bitter Solanum inconspicuum Bitter Solanum indecorum Rich. Solanum inops Dunal Solanum minutibaccatum Bitter Solanum minutibaccatum var. curtipedunculatum Bitter Solanum nigrum L. Solanum nigrum var. americanum (Mill.) O.E. Schulz Solanum nigrum var. atriplicifolium G. Mey. Solanum nigrum var. minor Hook. f. Solanum nigrum var. nodiflorum (Jacq.) A. Gray Solanum nigrum var. pauciflorum Liou Solanum nigrum var. virginicum L. Solanum nodiflorum Jacq. Solanum nodiflorum var. acuminatum Dunal Solanum nodiflorum var. macrophyllum Dunal Solanum nodiflorum var. petiolastrum Dunal Solanum nodiflorum var. puberulum Dunal Solanum nodiflorum var. sapucayense Chodat Solanum oleraceum Dunal Solanum parviflorum Badarò Solanum photeinocarpum Nakam. & Odash. Solanum pterocaulon Dunal Solanum purpuratum Bitter Solanum quadrangulare Thunb. ex L. f. Solanum sciaphilum Bitter Solanum tenellum Bitter Solanum triangulare Lam.

Solanum americanum, commonly known as American black nightshade,small-flowered nightshade or glossy nightshade is a herbaceous flowering plant of wide though uncertain native range. The certain native range encompasses the tropics and subtropics of the Americas, Melanesia, New Guinea, and Australia.

The plant is widely naturalised around the Tropical Pacific and Indian Oceans, including Hawaiʻi, Indochina, Madagascar and Africa, possibly via anthropogenic introduction in these locales.

Solanum americanum is one of the most widespread and morphologically variable species belonging to the section Solanum. It can be confused with other black nightshade species in the Solanum nigrum complex.

Solanum americanum grows up to 1–1.5 metres (39–59 in) tall and is an annual or short-lived perennial. The leaves are alternate on the branch, and vary greatly in size, up to 10 centimetres (3.9 in) long and 7 centimetres (2.8 in) broad, with a 4-centimetre (1.6 in) petiole and a coarsely wavy or toothed margin. The flowers are about 1 cm diameter, white or occasionally light purple, with yellow stamens. The fruit is a shiny black berry 5–10 millimetres (0.20–0.39 in) diameter, containing numerous small seeds.

Solanum americanum is a variable taxon. It is considered by some botanists to be more than one species, and others recognise subspecies. Some botanists have suggested that Solanum americanum may be conspecific with the European nightshade, S. nigrum.

...
Wikipedia