Common Australian Garden Weeds

Solanum americanum

Scientific name: Solanum americanum Miller


Habit of glossy nightshade (Solanum americanum).


The immature fruit of glossy nightshade. The fruit stalks are pointing outward or upward.


Mature fruit of glossy nightshade. The fruit are very glossy and the sepals are reflexed.


Glossy nightshade seedling with slightly lobed leaves.

Synonyms: Solanum nodiflorum Jacq.; S. nodiflorum subsp. nutans R Henderson; S. nigrum auct. non L., Benth; S. americanum var. nodiflorum (Jacq.) Edmonds

Common name: Glossy nightshade

Family: Solanaceae

Origin:

Cosmopolitan weed although the taxon Solanum americanum var. nodiflorum is thought to be native to Australia.

Habit:

Annual or short-lived perennial herb that is usually erect, growing to 1.25 m tall.

Habitat:

Common weed of untended areas near habitation.

General description:

Stems and leaves
Plants are hairless or only sparsely hairy. The leaves have stalks (petioles) 1-9 cm long and oval or egg-shaped leaf blades (2-14 x 1-8 cm) tapering to a point at the tip. The margins of the leaves are entire or slightly lobed.
Flowers and fruit
The flowers are small (8-9 mm across), white and star-shaped, with five petals and a yellow central cone. Flowers are borne in stalked clusters of 4-8 flowers. Flowering occurs from autumn to spring. The fruits are globular, shiny purplish black when ripe (although sometimes remaining green) and 6-9 mm in diameter. The fruit are borne in a relatively upright position with relatively large sepals that are bent downward (ie. reflexed).

Distinguishing features:

Herb growing to 1.25 m tall, with mostly hairless leaves that are arranged alternately on the stem. Flowers are small, white, star-like and borne on individual stalks. Fruits are glossy green, usually turning black as they mature, and are 6-9 mm in diameter. Very similar to Solanum nigrum (blackberry nightshade). However, this species has dull fruit that are borne pointing downward, with smaller outward pointing sepals.

Noxious status:

Not noxious.

Sources:

Kleinschmidt, H.E., Holland, A. and Simpson, P. (1996). Suburban Weeds. 3rd Edition. Department of Primary Industries, Brisbane.

Stanley, T.E. and Ross, E.M. (1983-1989). Flora of South-eastern Queensland. Volume 2. Department of Primary Industries, Brisbane.

Wilson, B.J., Hawton, D. and Duff, A.A. (1995). Crop Weeds of northern Australia: identification at seedling and mature stages. Queensland Department of Primary Industries, Brisbane.