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<big>''[[Solanum nigrum]]'' L.</big>
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{{DISPLAYTITLE:''Solanum nigrum'' (PROTA)}}
:Protologue: Sp. pl. 1: 186 (1753).
:Family: Solanaceae
:Chromosome number: 2''n'' 2n = 72 == Synonyms ==
== Vernacular names ==
*Black nightshade, common nightshade, garden nightshade (En). *Morelle noire, brède martin, herbe à calalou (Fr). *Erva moura (Po). *Suga, mnavu (Sw).
== Origin and geographic distribution ==
The leaves and young shoots of ''Solanum nigrum'' are probably collected from the wild like other ''Solanum'' spp. and eaten boiled as a vegetable. It is recommended that the cooking water is refreshed a number of times. However, it has been recorded, e.g. in Ethiopia, that the leaves taste bitter and are only eaten when more tasty vegetables are not available. Fruits are said to be poisonous, but there are records of fruits being eaten when ripe. Most reports state that unripe fruits are particularly poisonous.
== Properties ==
The powdered aerial parts of ''Solanum nigrum'' and their methanolic extract significantly reduced gastric ulcer formation in rats, and an alcoholic fruit extract showed significant inhibition of carrageenin-induced oedema. An alcoholic leaf extract was active against ''Staphylococcus aureus'' and ''Escherichia coli''. Some other pharmacological activities include antispasmodic, hypotensive, hypocholesterolaemic and anti-HIV-1 activities, as well as insecticidal and molluscicidal activities.
== Botany Description ==
Annual herb up to 70 cm tall, with decumbent or erect stem, glabrous to long-hairy with simple multicellular hairs, glandular or not. Leaves arranged spirally, simple; stipules absent; petiole 0.5–6.5 cm long, slightly winged towards apex; blade ovate to lanceolate-rhombic, 2.5–10 cm × 2–7 cm, base cuneate, apex obtuse, margin entire to wavy-toothed. Inflorescence an extra-axillary raceme-like cyme, 3–12-flowered; peduncle 1–3 cm long. Flowers bisexual, regular, 5-merous; pedicel recurved in fruit; calyx campanulate, up to 2.5 mm long with ovate lobes, deflexed or adhering to the base of the mature fruit; corolla stellate, 0.5–1 cm in diameter, white with yellow-green basal star, lobes 1.5–4 mm long; stamens inserted on corolla throat, filaments up to 1.5 mm long, anthers up to 2.5 mm long; ovary superior, globose to ellipsoid, c. 1 mm in diameter. Fruit a globose to ovoid berry 6–10 mm in diameter, dull purple to blackish or sometimes yellow-green, many-seeded. Seeds flattened, obovoid, c. 2 mm long, creamy, minutely pitted.
''Solanum nigrum'' belongs to the subgenus ''Solanum'' and section ''Solanum'', together with species such as ''Solanum americanum'' Mill., ''Solanum florulentum'' Bitter, ''Solanum grossedentatum'' A.Rich., ''Solanum scabrum'' Mill., ''Solanum tarderemotum'' Bitter and ''Solanum villosum'' Mill. Many of the species in section ''Solanum'' have been named ''Solanum nigrum'' in the past and thus references to ''Solanum nigrum'' in the literature must be interpreted with great caution. Research is still needed to better understand the species within section ''Solanum'' and their diversity.
''Solanum nigrum'' can be divided into 2 subspecies: subsp. ''nigrum'' (glabrous to slightly hairy with appressed, non-glandular hairs) and subsp. ''schultesii'' (Opiz) Wessely (densely hairy with patent, glandular hairs). However, the distinction is not everywhere clear.
== Ecology ==
''Solanum nigrum'' often occurs as a weed in fields, but also in wasteland, roadsides and disturbed localities, in full sunshine or in slight shade, from sea-level up to 3000 m altitude.
== Genetic resources ==
== Author(s) ==
* P.C.M. Jansen , PROTA Network Office Europe, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 341, 6700 AH Wageningen, Netherlands
== Correct citation of this article ==
Jansen, P.C.M., 2008. '''Solanum nigrum''' L. [Internet] Record from PROTA4U. In: Schmelzer, G.H. & Gurib-Fakim, A. (Editors). PROTA (Plant Resources of Tropical Africa / Ressources végétales de l’Afrique tropicale), Wageningen, Netherlands. <http://www.prota4u.org/search.asp>. Accessed {{CURRENTDAY}} {{CURRENTMONTHNAME}} {{CURRENTYEAR}}.
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[[Category:PROTA prov]][[Category:Medicinal plants (PROTA)]]