silverleaf nightshade
Solanum elaeagnifolium
Summary 5
Solanum elaeagnifolium, the silverleaf nightshade or silver-leaved nightshade, is a common weed of western North America and also found in South America. Other common names include prairie berry, silverleaf nettle, white horsenettle or silver nightshade. In South Africa it is known as silver-leaf bitter-apple or satansbos ("Satan's bush" in Afrikaans). More ambiguous names include "bull-nettle", "horsenettle"
Description 6
General: Nightshade Family (Solanaceae). Solanum elaeagnifolium, is a deep-rooted, native perennial, which rarely reaches a height of more than 3 feet. Silver-leaf nightshade gets its name from the short, white or silvery pubescence (hairs or fuzz) on the leaves and stems. This plant is found throughout Texas. Plants growing in humid regions do not normally have spines or prickles, while those found in arid regions are more commonly prickly. Leaves are alternate and entire. Leaf margins are normally wavy. Flowers are typical of the nightshade family (potatoes, peppers, and tomatoes). Solanum is the genus of the domestic potato.
Solanum dimidiatum (western horse-nettle) is somewhat similar, but does not have the velvety appearance. Vegetatively, Croton capitatus (wooly croton, doveweed, goatweed), resembles silverleaf nightshade, though Croton is never armed. Unlike nightshade, Croton is very intolerant of shade.
Sources and Credits
- (c) ellen hildebrandt, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by ellen hildebrandt
- (c) Richard Reynolds, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Richard Reynolds
- (c) 2015 Keir Morse, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://calphotos.berkeley.edu/cgi/img_query?seq_num=633636&one=T
- (c) 2015 Keir Morse, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://calphotos.berkeley.edu/cgi/img_query?seq_num=633637&one=T
- (c) Wikipedia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solanum_elaeagnifolium
- Public Domain, http://eol.org/data_objects/1394837
More Info
- iNat taxon page
- African Plants - a photo guide
- Atlas of Living Australia
- Biodiversity Heritage Library
- BOLD Systems BIN search
- Calflora
- CalPhotos
- eFloras.org
- Flora Digital de Portugal
- Flora of North America (beta)
- Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF)
- HOSTS - a Database of the World's Lepidopteran Hostplants
- IPNI (with links to POWO, WFO, and BHL)
- Jepson eFlora
- NatureServe Explorer 2.0
- OregonFlora.org
- SEINet Symbiota portals
- Tropicos
- USDA PLANTS database
- World Flora Online
