Silver-Leaf Nightshade
Author: Ray Bowers

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Species: Solanum elaeagnifolium

Description:
Silver-leaf nightshade is a herbaceous 15 to 85 cm ( 5,9 to 33.5 in ) tall prickly perennial with deep roots. The alternately spaced silvery green 2,5 to 10 cm ( 1 to 3.9 in ) long leaves have wavy edges.

Geographic range:
Silver-leaf nightshade is found from California east to Texas, and from Colorado south to South America.

Habitat:
Silver-leaf nightshade is found in dry open areas, especially in old lots and along roads. It can be a pest in cultivated fields up to 1,524 m (5,000 ft ) in elevation.

Reproduction and Development:
Silver-leaf nightshade is a monoecious plant that blooms from March through October. The bluish-violet or lavender petals are united and have five lobes. The bright yellow stamens form a cone in the center of the flower. The fruit is a 1.3 cm ( 0.5 in ) diameter yellow berry with numerous seeds.

Other info:
Silver-leaf nightshade's deep roots make it difficult to eliminate from cultivated fields. An alkaloid in the leaves and fruit make this plant toxic to grazing animals. The crushed berries were used by some Natives American tribes to curdle milk to make cheese, after the Europeans introduced cattle.

Taxonomy:

Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Solanales
Family: Solanaceae
Genus: Solanum
Species: Solanum elaeagnifolium

References:
Allred, Kelly W. 2000. A Field Guide to the Flora of the Jornada Plain. Las Cruces: NMSU Department of Animal and Range Science.
Dodge, Natt N. 1985. Flowers of the Southwest Deserts. . Tucson , AZ: Southwest Parks and Monuments Association.

Kearney , Thomas H. and Robert H. Peebles. 1951. Arizona Flora. Berkeley , California: University of California Press.

MacMahon, James A. 1987. Deserts. New York : Alfred A. Knoph, Inc.

Niehaus, Theodore F. 1984. A Field Guide to Southwestern and Texas Wildflowers. Boston : Houghton Mifflin Company.

Wooton, E.O. and Paul C. Standley. 1915. Flora of New Mexico . Contributions from the United States National Herbarium, Vol 19. Washington: Government Printing Office.

Related Terms: Trompillo, Magnoliophyta, Magnoliopsida