Solanum americanum Miller

                                                                    =S. nodiflorum                             

                                                                        Solanaceae (Nightshade Family)

                                                                  

Native 

 

White Nightshade  

                                        June Photo

 

Plant Characteristics: Annual to subshrub 3-8 dm., +/- glabrous or hairs short, curved or +/- appressed, glands 0, sometimes scabrous on angles; lvs. 2-15 cm., ovate, entire to coarsely wavy-toothed; peduncles slender, 2-3 cm. long, pedicels 5-12 mm. long; infl. an umbel or +/- raceme-like; calyx 1-2 mm., lobes in fr. recurved; corolla 3-6 mm. wide, deeply lobed, white or faint purple; anthers 1.4-2.2 mm.; style 1, 2.5-4 mm., stigma head-like; fr. 5-8 mm. in diam., greenish or black, glossy; seeds many, 1-1.5 mm.

 

Habitat:  Open, often disturbed places below 1000 m.; to Canada, eastern U.S., Mex.; uncommon Mojave Desert.  Blooms April-Nov.

 

Name: Latin, Solanum, quieting, from the narcotic properties of some species.  (Hickman, Ed. 1074).  Americanum, American (Bailey 10).

 

General:  Rare in the study with only one plant known and this found about 100 ft. from Irvine Ave., near the top of a draw located about half way between Delhi and 23rd. St.  The draw had been graded to eliminate erosion within the past year.  The specimen was a small plant, only about 3 dm. tall.  (my comments).      Bumble bees gather nectar and pollen from a variety of plants.  The flowers of nightshade, Solanum, and tomato, Lycopersicon, have apically-pored (salt shaker-like) anthers that release pollen in response to vibration. Bumble bees vibrate their bodies by rapidly oscillating their wing muscles without engaging their wings, thereby releasing the pollen.  Honey bees lack this ability. (Thorp, Robbin W., Schroeder, Peter C., and Ferguson Carol S. “Bumble Bees: Boisterous Pollinators of Native California Flowers” FREMONTIA, A Journal of the California Native Plant Society.  Vol. 30, Nos 3-4 July-Oct. 2002 p. 26-31).     Much like S. nigrum; may be early introduction from South America.  (Hickman, Ed. 1076).      Hickman, Ed. shows the plant as a native, while Munz, says it is from the Old World.  (Munz, Flora So. Calif.  839).      Roberts indicates that the plant is non-native.  (Roberts 40).

 

Text Ref:  Hickman, Ed 1076; Munz, Flora So. Calif. 839.

Photo Ref: May-June 2000 #24A; June 2000 #3.

Identity: by R. De Ruff, confirmed by John Johnson.

First Found: June 2000.

 

Computer Ref: Plant Data 520.

Have plant specimen.

Last edit  5/22/04.

 

                                                June Photo