Solanaceae Fortnight: Solanum nigrum from Kashmir-GSFEB02/04

[Gurcharan Singh]

Although The Plant List treats S. nigrum and S. americanum as synonyms, seeing so many errors in this database I prefer to follow GRIN and eFlora of China, wherever available, since both treat them distinct with following differences

S. americanum: Flowers less than 5 mm across; anthers 1-1.5 mm long; berries 6-7 mm in diam, shining black; fruiting calyx reflexed; seeds 1-1.5 mm long

S. nigrum: Flowers 7-10 mm across, anthers 2-3 mm long; berries 7-9 mm in diam, dull black; fruiting calyx appressed or slightly deflexed; seeds 1.7-2.5 mm long 

Solanum nigrum L., Sp. Pl. 1: 186. 1753.

Branched annual herb pubescent; leaf ovate, 5-10 cm long, cuneate at base, entire to coarsely dentate, petiole up to 5 cm long; flowers white, 7-10 mm across, in extraaxillary umbellate cymes of usually more than 5 flowers; peduncle 2-4 cm long; pedicel 8-12 mm long, strongly deflexed in fruit; calyx lobes appressed to berry or slightly deflexed; corolla spreading; anthers 2.5-3.5 mm long; ripe berry dull black, 7-9 mm in diam; seeds 2 mm long

Photographed from Kashmir

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Dr. Gurcharan Singh
Retired  Associate Professor
SGTB Khalsa College, University of Delhi, Delhi-110007
Res: 932 Anand Kunj, Vikas Puri, New Delhi-110018.
Phone: 011-25518297  Mob: 9810359089
http://people.du.ac.in/~singhg45/