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Solanum nigrum

AuthorityL.
FamilyMagnoliopsida:Asteridae:Solanales:Solanaceae
SynonymsSolanum nodiflorum Jacq.
Common namesA'ena (Wolayetgna), Awitt (Amargna), black nightshade, blackberried nightshade, boro ni veiwere, common nightshade, guaraquinha, hierba mora, karakap, key-awuti, morelle noir, mustakoiso, nattskatta, poison berry, Qaqata (Konsogna), schwarzer nachtschatten, sort natskygge, svartsøtvier
Editor
Ecocrop code1966



Notes
BRIEF DESCRIPTION A herbaceous plant reaching a height of
60-75 cm. Stem and branches are slightly pubescent, green
in color with a purplish tinge. The leaves are 9-9 cm long
and 4-6 cm wide. The flowers are white and the berries
blacken on ripening. USES It is cooked locally as a
potherb and its ripe berries are used in pies and
preserves. Its tender shoots are boiled and eaten like
spinach or eaten in soups. Fruits and young leaves have
medicinal properties. GROWING PERIOD Annual, growing 80-
110 days before first harvest. COMMON NAMES Black
nightshade, Sunberry, Wonderberry, Morelle noir, Herbe a
calalou, Yerba Mora, Zwarte Nachtschade, Odu, Efodu,
Poisonberry, Stubbleberry, Enab el-deeb, Goutan kadji,
Afufa, Mtura, Ndura, Ogumo, Igba yirin elegun. FURTHER INF
Scientific synonym: S. fistolosum, S. nodiflorum. Black
nightshade has a reputation for being a poisonous plant,
due to the presence of the alkaloid solasonine. The friuts
of this species of Solanum should however be edible. Grown
throughout the tropics, it is often regarded as a weed.
Sources
SOURCES (Solanum nigrum L.)
Hackett C 1982 pp 15 240 [FER, PHO, DEP, PH, TEMP]
Tindall H 1983 pp 370-371 [FER, DRA, LIG, TEMP, PHO]
Roecklein J 1987 pp 313 [USE]
Duke J 1975 pp 27 [PH, RAIN, TEMP]
Iwu M 1993 pp 239 [USE]