Kingdom Plantae Family Solanaceae Scientific name Solanum douglasii | Order Solanales Genus Solanum Rank Species | |
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Similar Solanum furcatum, Solanum xanti, Solanum citrullifolium, Solanum wallacei, Solanum umbelliferum | ||
Solanum douglasii is a species of nightshade known by the common name greenspot nightshade.
It is native to the northern half of Mexico and the southwestern south-central United States. Its habitat includes scrub and woodland.
Description
Solanum douglasii is a perennial herb or subshrub approaching two meters in maximum height. The stem is coated in short, white hairs. The leaves may be up to 9 centimeters long and have smooth or toothed edges.
The inflorescence is an umbel-shaped array of flowers with star-shaped white corollas up to a centimeter wide. There are generally green spots at the bases of the corolla lobes. The yellow anthers are a few millimeters in length. Flowers may be seen blooming throughout much of the year.
The fruit is a spherical berry up to a centimeter wide.
Native Americans used the juice of the berries medicinally, and the Luiseño used it as dye for tattooing.
