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Taxon  Report  
Solanum americanum  Mill.
American black nightshade,   Common nightshade,   Small flowered nightshade,   White nightshade
Solanum americanum is an annual or perennial herb that is native to California, and also found elsewhere in North America and beyond.
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Bloom Period
Genus: Solanum
Family: Solanaceae  
Category: angiosperm  
PLANTS group:Dicot
Jepson eFlora section: eudicot

Toxicity: Do not eat any part of this plant.

Wetlands: Occurs usually in non wetlands, occasionally in wetlands

Habitat: disturbed

Communities: wetland-riparian, weed, characteristic of disturbed places

Name Status:
Accepted by JEF + PLANTS + POWO

Alternate Names:
PLANTSSolanum americanum var. nodiflorum
PLANTSSolanum americanum var. patulum
PLANTSSolanum caribaeum
PLANTSSolanum fistulosum
PLANTSSolanum hermannii
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Information about  Solanum americanum from other sources
Nursery availability from CNPLX
This plant is available commercially.
Jepson eFlora

USDA PLANTS Profile (SOAM)

Photos on Calflora

Photos on CalPhotos

Google Images

Photos on iNaturalist

ID Tips on PlantID.net

[Wikipedia] Toxicity: Research indicates the presence of toxic glycoalkaloids and there are warnings to be careful on the use of S. americanum as herbal medicine and food.[7] The green fruit is particularly poisonous and eating unripe berries has caused the death of children.[8] Ripe berries and foliage may also cause poisoning,[8] though the toxicity seems to diminish somewhat with ripening.[9] This is via high levels of the glycoalkaloids, solanine and solamargine.[10] Other toxins present in the plant include chaconine, solasonine, solanigrine, gitogenin and traces of saponins,[11] as well as the tropane alkaloids scopolamine and hyoscyamine (an isomer of atropine). (link added by Mary Ann Machi)


Suggested Citation
Calflora: Information on California plants for education, research and conservation, with data contributed by public and private institutions and individuals. [web application]. 2025. Berkeley, California: The Calflora Database [a non-profit organization]. Available: https://www.calflora.org/   (Accessed: 02/10/2025).