Solanum nigrum

Flower name
Solanum nigrum
Scientific name
Solanum nigrum
Aliasバカナス, 犬鬼灯, 犬酸漿, izuhozuki, 馬鹿茄子, Black Nightshade, Inu Hohozuki
Place of originNorth America
Place of floweringFields and footpaths
Flowering seasonAugust, September, October

What is Solanum nigrum

Solanum nigrum , Inu Hohozuki, Japanese Black Nightshade , scientific name: Solanum nigrum, is an annual wild weed of the Solanaceae family, native to temperate to tropical regions worldwide, including Japan. It is also known by the Japanese name Baka Nasu (Fool's Eggplant) and the English name Black Nightshade. It grows naturally in fields and along paths in Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, Kyushu, and Okinawa. The entire plant is toxic.

Common Name: Inu Hohozuki (Japanese Black Nightshade)
Scientific Name: Solanum nigrum
Other Names: Baka Nasu (Fool's Eggplant), Black Nightshade
Classification: Plantae, Angiosperms, Eudicots, Solanales, Solanaceae, Solanum, Inu Hohozuki species
Origin: Temperate to tropical regions worldwide, including Japan
Distribution: Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, Kyushu, Okinawa in Japan
Environment: Fields, paths
Height: 30-60 cm
Growth Type: Annual herb, upright stem, well-branched
Leaf Size: 6-10 cm
Leaf Shape: Broadly ovate with a triangular apex, wavy serrated edges, petiole with wings, alternate arrangement
Flower Symmetry: Radial
Blooming Period: August to October
Flower Location: From leaf axils along the stem
Inflorescence Type: Racemes with 4-10 flowers
Flower Shape: Funnel-shaped, deeply lobed into five parts
Flower Diameter: 0.7 cm
Flower Color: White
Anther Color: Yellow, prominent
Calyx: Cup-shaped, shallowly lobed into five parts
Fruit Type: Berry
Fruit Shape: Spherical
Fruit Texture: Dull
Fruit Diameter: 0.8-1 cm
Fruit Color: Green turning black when ripe
Number of Seeds: 50-60
Seed Length: 0.2 cm
Notes: The entire plant contains toxic solanine. The calyx remains attached after the fruit drops.