Shrubs of Morni: Yellow-berried Nightshade

Yellow-berried Nightshade/ Thorny Nightshade (Solanum virginianum/ xanthocarpum) is a woody, creepy shrub with sturdy, needlelike thorns and prickly leaves. The thorns cover the stem and the leaves have thorns along the midrib and other nerves. Flowers are blue-purple with yellow anthers and berries are yellow. Flowers arrive in early summer. Medicinal preparations are used to treat stomach and liver ailments.

Yellow-berried Nightshade, Aasrewali, Morni hills (June)

Flowers of yellow-berried nightshade, Rasoon, Morni

Thorny leaves of Yellow-berried Nightshade

Yellow-berried Nightshade, Aasrewali, Morni hills

Note: This thorny shrub most definitely belongs to the genus ‘Solanum’ that has over 1000 species. The subgenus is most likely to be ‘virginianum’. It was growing in abudance on the mud embankment that forms a small checkdam across a choe at Aasrewali village in Morni foothills.

References:

1. Section on spiny solanums in robsplants.com
2. flowersofindia.net

Filed in: Trees & Shrubs