Solanum douglasii
Solanum douglasii is a species of plant in the family Solanaceae known by the common name greenspot nightshade.[1]
| Solanum douglasii | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Solanales |
| Family: | Solanaceae |
| Genus: | Solanum |
| Species: | S. douglasii |
| Binomial name | |
| Solanum douglasii | |
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.[2]
The fruit is a spherical berry up to a centimeter wide.
- Uses
Native Americans used the juice of the berries medicinally, and the Luiseño used it as dye for tattooing.[3]
References
- USDA, NRCS (n.d.). "Solanum douglasii". The PLANTS Database (plants.usda.gov). Greensboro, North Carolina: National Plant Data Team. Retrieved 17 November 2015.
- Jepson Manual Treatment
- Ethnobotany