Solanum nigrum L.

Unarmed, annual or short-lived perennial herb to c. 75 cm tall, usually hairy, sometimes nearly glabrous; stems branched, usually green, sometimes dark purple. Petioles to 7 cm long. Lamina c. 2–12 × 1–7 cm, ovate or lanceolate-ovate, entire, sinuate to coarsely dentate, sometimes lobulate, sometimes purple-tinged; hairs usually scattered, short, simple, occasionally glandular; base cuneate to narrowly attenuate; apex acute or obtuse. Cymes pseudoumbellate, usually few-flowered and with at least 1 pedicel arising below peduncle apex; peduncles generally 1–2.5 cm long; pedicels becoming deflexed at fruiting. Calyx 1–3 mm long; lobes ovate, broad-ovate, to almost elliptic, accrescent and appressed to fr. Corolla 10–13 mm diam., usually white, sometimes pale mauve; lobes almost triangular, ± puberulent outside. Anthers 2–2.7 mm long. Berry 7–10 mm diam., globose, usually black and rather dull, sometimes green, yellowish green or pale yellow; stone cells usually 0. Seeds 1.7–2.4 mm diam., broad-obovoid, ellipsoid-obovoid to suborbicular.

[From: Webb et al. (1988) Flora of New Zealand. Volume 4.]

Flowering: Oct.–May–(Sep.)