Viscid nightshade

Herbs, annual, erect to decumbent, unarmed, to 1 m, moderately to densely pubes­cent, hairs unbranched, to 2 mm, glandular. Leaves petio­late; petiole 0.5–3 cm; blade simple, ovate to elliptic, 3–7.5 × 3–6 cm, margins entire to sinuate-dentate, base truncate to cordate. Inflorescences leaf-opposed or occasionally extra-axillary, unbranched, umbel-like, 2–5(–7)-flowered, 0.5–1.5 cm. Pedicels 0.5–1 cm in flower and fruit, spreading in flower, reflexed in fruit. Flowers radially symmetric; calyx accrescent and nearly covering berry, unarmed, 2–3 mm, sparsely to mod­erately pubescent, lobes narrowly triangular; corolla white with yellowish or greenish central star, rotate-stellate, 0.5–1 cm diam., with abundant interpetalar tissue; stamens equal; anthers ellipsoidal, 1.2–2 mm, dehiscent by terminal pores that open into longitudinal slits; ovary glabrous. Berries dull pale green, globose, 0.5–1 cm diam., glabrous, with 4–6 sclerotic granules. Seeds pale yellow, flattened, 1.5–2 × 1–1.5 mm, nearly smooth. 2n = 24.

Flowering May–Oct. Farmyards, fields, open wood­lands, roadsides, disturbed areas; 0–500 m; introduced; Ark., Conn., Fla., Ill., Kans., Md., Mo., N.C., Okla., R.I., S.C., Va., Wash.; s South America (Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay); introduced also in Europe, Africa (South Africa).

Many accounts of Solanum sarrachoides in North America actually refer either to S. nitidibaccatum or to a mixture of the two species. In North America, S. sarrachoides is much less widespread and common than S. nitidibaccatum.

SELECTED REFERENCE Edmonds, J. M. 1986. Biosystematics of Solanum sarrachoides Sendtner and S. physalifolium Rusby (S. nitidibaccatum Bitter). Bot. J. Linn. Soc. 92: 1–38.