Solanum umbelliferum
Esch.
Bluewitch nightshade
iNaturalist· cc-by-nc-sa
(c) Benjamin J. Dion, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), uploaded by Benjamin J. Dion
iNaturalist· cc-by
(c) Adam J. Searcy, some rights reserved (CC BY)
iNaturalist· cc-by
(c) Adam J. Searcy, some rights reserved (CC BY)
Summary
Source: WikipediaSolanum umbelliferum is a species of nightshade known commonly as bluewitch nightshade, or bluewitch. It can be found in chaparral habitat and low-elevation oak woodlands in California and parts of Baja California and Arizona. It is a small perennial herb or subshrub with dark gray-green oval-shaped leaves on hairy green stems that grow to a maximum height of one meter. It has bright purple or blue frilly flowers with thick yellow anthers at the center. The flowers close into spherical buds overnight. It bears small round green fruits which turn purple when ripe and resemble tiny eggplants. It is a tough shrub which can grow in rocky and clay soils and springs up in areas recovering from wildfires or other disturbances. Like most other members of genus Solanum, S. umbelliferum contains toxic alkaloids.
Description
A temperate herb in the nightshade family (Solanaceae) grown for its edible fruit.
This description is brief — help expand it
Edible Uses
The fruit are eaten.
Traditional Uses
The fruit are eaten.
This uses section is brief — help expand it
Distribution
It is a temperate plant.
Where It Grows
North America, USA,
Also Known As
Ojo de liebre
References (3)
- Bocek, B. R., 1984, Ethnobotany of Costanoan Indians, California, Based on Collections by John P. Harrington. Economic Botany 38(2): 240-255
- Moerman, D. F., 2010, Native American Ethnobotany. Timber Press. p 536
- World Checklist of Useful Plant Species 2020. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
