Solanum triflorum

Nutt. Cut-leaf Nightshade
Gen. N. Amer. Pl. 1: 128 (1818)
Taxonomic status Accepted
Occurrence status Present
Origin Introduced
Degree of establishment Naturalised

Prostrate or sprawling annual herb, green, sparsely pubescent with simple hairs; stems to c. 1 m long, sometimes rooting at nodes; prickles absent. Leaves pinnatifid to pinnatisect, ovate or elliptic, 2–4 cm long, 1–2.5 cm wide, margins recurved and thickened, more or less concolorous, sparsely hairy to glabrescent; petiole 0.5–1 cm long. Inflorescences simple, 1–3-flowered, with a small terminal leaflet; peduncle 1–3 cm long. Flowers on pedicels 3–10 mm long; calyx 3–5 mm long, lobes lanceolate to narrow-triangular, 1.5–2 mm long, enlarging slightly and reflexing in fruit; corolla stellate, 5–6 mm diam., white or rarely pale lavender, lobes pubescent; anthers c. 2.5 mm long. Berry globose, 8–12 mm diam., whitish-green, marbled; seeds 1–2 mm long, pale brownish-yellow; stone-cell granules c. 1 mm long. Flowers mostly summer to autumn.

MuM, VVP, VRiv, MuF, GipP, Gold, NIS, EGU, MonT, VAlp. Also naturalised WA, SA, NSW, ACT, Tas. Native to North America. Widespread weed of disturbed sites mainly in drier inland areas.

Source:

Jeanes, J.A. (1999). Solanaceae. In: Walsh, N.G.; Entwisle, T.J., ‍Flora of Victoria Vol. 4, Cornaceae to Asteraceae‍, pp. 332–365. Inkata Press, Melbourne.

Updated by: Val Stajsic, 18 Jun. 2018
Solanum triflorum (hero image) Spinning
Solanum triflorum (distribution map) Spinning