Cutleaf nightshade (Plants of the Middle Rio Grande Bosque)

Cutleaf nightshade

Solanum triflorum

Summary ⁵

Solanum triflorum, commonly known as cutleaf nightshade, is a native annual herb to most of the United States including New Mexico. The flower produced is often white, but sometimes purple tinted that then transforms into a small berry.

Botanical Information ⁶

Cutleaf nightshade is in the family Solanaceae and the genus Solanum. This plant can reach up to 2 feet high and the 2-5cm long leaves have jagged edges. The plant color can be dull to light green and white (sometimes purple-tinted) flowers with yellow centers begin to show in the fall. The flowers will turn into a small green fruit that can have lightened vertical stripe coloration.

Ecological Information ⁷

Cutleaf nightshade is native to most of the United States. In New Mexico, cutleaf nightshade is commonly found in many counties. It grows in multiple types of habitats but normally found in disturbed areas. Cutleaf nightshade is an annual that likes to be in sunny areas. Some birds will eat the fruit.

Ethnobotanical Information ⁷

According to the Native American Ethnobotany Database, the Blackfoot Nation has used cutleaf nightshade for medicine to treat childhood diarrhea and stomach aches by using a decoction from the berries. (Note: Ethnobotanical reports often lack important contextual information and relevant traditional ecological knowledge.) Cutleaf nightshade has also been used as a food source. Although toxicity is not known in humans for this species, it is in the same genus as many other species with toxic leaves and fruit. Horses and hamsters have had reactions to the toxicity.

References ⁵

Native American Ethnobotany Database. (n.d.). Solanum triflorum. Retrieved January 31, 2022,
http://naeb.brit.org/uses/search/?string=Solanum+triflorum.

Medicinal Herbs. (n.d.). CUTLEAF NIGHTSHADE, Solanum triflorum. Retrieved March 26, 2019, from http://www.naturalmedicinalherbs.net/herbs/s/solanum-triflorum=cutleaf-nightshade.php

Stegelmeier, B. L., Lee, S. T., James, L. F., Gardner, D. R., Panter, K. E., Ralphs, M. H., & Pfister, J. A. (2007, June 20). CUTLEAF NIGHTSHADE (SOLANUM TRIFLORUMM NUTT.) TOXICITY IN HORSES AND HAMSTERS. USDA Agriculture Research Service. Retrieved January 31, 2022, from https://www.ars.usda.gov/research/publications/publication/?seqNo115=186735

United States Department of Agriculture. (2014). Solanum triflorum.. In
PLANTS Database. Retrieved March 26, 2019, from https://plants.usda.gov/home/plantProfile?symbol=SOTR

Wikipedia contributors. (2021, April 29). Solanum triflorum. Wikipedia. Retrieved March 25, 2019, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solanum_triflorum

About the Author ⁷

Student author*: Salvador (age 16) from The International School at Mesa del Sol

*The entries in this field guide have been edited by Yerba Mansa Project staff to ensure that they contain quality, fact-checked content and standardized formatting. https://yerbamansaproject.org/

Sources and Credits

(c) Bas Kers (NL), some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://www.flickr.com/photos/21933510@N07/4329066106/
(c) Bas Kers (NL), some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), https://www.flickr.com/photos/21933510@N07/4328333431/
(c) Bas Kers (NL), some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), https://www.flickr.com/photos/21933510@N07/4329065616/
(c) Bas Kers (NL), some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), https://www.flickr.com/photos/21933510@N07/4328298759/
Adapted by Kiley Spurlock from a work by (c) smiller33, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)
Adapted by albuquerqueherbalism from a work by (c) Wikipedia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solanum_triflorum
Adapted by albuquerqueherbalism from a work by (c) smiller33, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)

More Info

iNat Map

Flower	white
Uses	medicinal
Type	herb
Life cycle	annual
Habitat	Dry Plains/Roadsides
Native	yes
Berry	green

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