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| Eastern black nightshade - Solanum ptycanthum Dun. |
| Home > eastern black nightshade |
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| Young eastern black nightshade plant. |
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| Upper leaf surface of eastern black nightshade. |
Purplish lower leaf surface of eastern black nightshade. |
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Life cycle: Erect, branching summer annual.
Leaves: Seedlings have small, egg-shaped cotyledons with a pointed tip and a purplish tinge underneath followed by alternate, petiolated, simple leaves. First leaves are generally smooth, egg-shaped with wavy margins and a purplish tinge underneath; later leaves are slightly hairy, egg- to diamond-shaped with smooth to irregularly toothed margins.
Stems: Erect and branching, up to 3-foot-tall stems with few hairs.
Flowers and fruit: Flowers are white to purple-tinged, star-shaped with five petals fused at the base surrounding five bright yellow anthers; found in downward facing clusters. Berries are glossy black at maturity and globe-shaped, and contain up to 110 seeds.
Reproduction: Seeds.
Toxicity: All plant parts are toxic to animals. |
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| Eastern black nightshade mature berries. |
Eastern black nightshade seedling. |
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| Bittersweet nightshade flower. |
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| Bittersweet nightshade leaf. |
Mature berries of bittersweet nightshade. |
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| Similar weeds: Bittersweet nightshade (S. dulcamara L.) Differs by having a vining, perennial habit; leaves that are oval to egg-shaped with pointed tips, smooth margins and usually two basal lobes; and purple to blue flowers that yield bright red, oval berries at maturity. |
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