Eastern black nightshade... by marlboromaam

Eastern black nightshade...

It just popped up in one of my old clay pots. It's blossoms are similar to horse nettle, but very tiny. No thorns or sticky hairs. More info on this lovely wild plant here - http://namethatplant.net/plantdetail.shtml?plant=1410 and some really good info here - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solanum_ptychanthum and some great info here on the nightshade family and some differences - https://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/weeds/plants/black_nightshade.htm

A fun little article on the lore of black nightshade here - https://www.otherworld-apothecary.com/blog/2018/05/on-black-nightshade/

Nine years ago today - https://365project.org/marlboromaam/365/2012-07-23
How lovely.
July 22nd, 2021  
@linnypinny Thanks, Lin!
July 22nd, 2021  
Nice DOF and composition
July 22nd, 2021  
@larrysphotos Thanks, Larry!
July 22nd, 2021  
Isn't it called deadly nightshade? For a reason? I'll look at your link!
July 22nd, 2021  
Nice to see the different stages of the berry in one shot
July 22nd, 2021  
I'm always so impressed with how much you know about these plants. Nice capture of this one
July 22nd, 2021  
@maggiemae Not the same plant, Maggiemae - but in the same family.

@dutchothotmailcom Thank you, Esther!

@milaniet When I shoot something, if I don't know what it is - I search my usual websites based on the plant's description and compare my photos with their photos. It really is not hard to do - a bit time consuming maybe. 365ers from nine years ago were very curious and inquisitive - if I posted something without knowing what it was and stating the info with the post. A VERY DIFFERENT crowd here today, but I just got used to doing my research beforehand. Besides, I want to know what grows around me and learn about it. =)
July 22nd, 2021  
@milaniet You might try these sites I pulled up from one search for Arkansas plant ID, if you're interested... https://www.uaex.edu/yard-garden/resource-library/plant-database/ and https://www.uaex.edu/publications/pdf/mp169.pdf and https://uswildflowers.com/stateref.php?State=AR. My search pulled up a whole lot more, but that's a start. I keep mine bookmarked for South Carolina, so I can search when I need to.
July 22nd, 2021  
Nice capture, are you using it for magic and other witchery as the article suggested? Lol!
July 23rd, 2021  
Never saw the black version of fruits.
July 23rd, 2021  
Those berries are popping!
July 23rd, 2021  
Nice capture
July 23rd, 2021  
@ryan161 ROFLOL! I wish but, I don't know how. Thank you, Ryan!

@milestonevisualmedia Okay.

@fbailey Thank you!
July 23rd, 2021  
@pdulis Thank you, Peter!
July 23rd, 2021  
Lovely shot of these beautiful berries, do the birds eat them?
July 23rd, 2021  
Great contrast of berries.
July 23rd, 2021  
Lovely berries. They look like black grapes.
July 23rd, 2021  
Pretty fruits
July 23rd, 2021  
@ludwigsdiana I'll quote a website... Faunal Associations: Bumblebees collect pollen from the flowers (Robertson, 1929). Nectar is unavailable as a floral reward. Several species of insects feed destructively on Black Nightshade, especially the larvae and adults of leaf beetles (Chrysomelidae). This includes such species as Acallepitrix nitens (a leaf beetle), Epitrix cucumeris (American Potato Flea Beetle), Epitrix fuscula (Eggplant Flea Beetle), Epitrix hirtipennis (Tobacco Flea Beetle), Lema daturaphila (Three-lined Potato Beetle), Lema trivittata (Three-lined Lema Beetle), Leptinotarsa decemlineata (Colorado Potato Beetle), Plagiometriona clavata (Clavate Tortoise Beetle), Psylliodes affinis (European Potato Flea Beetle), larvae of the moths Heliothis subflexus (Subflexus Straw) and Manduca sexta (Tobacco Hornworm), and maggots of Liriomyza trifolii (American Serpentine Leafminer); see Clark et al. (2004), Covell (1984/2005), Wagner (2005), and Spencer & Steyskal (1986). The mature fruits of Solanum spp. (nightshade species), including those of Black Nightshade, are eaten by various species of birds and mammals. This includes such birds as the Ruffed Grouse, Wild Turkey, Eastern Meadowlark, Gray Catbird, and Swamp Sparrow; the Bird Table has a more complete list of such species. Mammals that eat the fruits of these plants include the Raccoon, Striped Skunk, White-tailed Deer, and small rodents; see Martin et al. (1951/1961), Myers et al. (2004), and Hamilton (1941). Because the seeds in these fruits are able to pass through the digestive tracts of many animals and remain viable, they are distributed across considerable distances, introducing this plant into new areas. The foliage of Black Nightshade is toxic and bitter, therefore it is usually avoided by mammalian herbivores (Georgia, 1913).
July 23rd, 2021  
@wakelys Thanks, Susan!

@sangwann Thank you, Dione!
July 23rd, 2021  
@pusspup Thank you!
July 23rd, 2021  
wonderful focus and composition ... love the diagonal of the berry vine...
July 23rd, 2021  
Lovely shot with pretty details.
July 23rd, 2021  
Did you know that tomatoes are a member of the Nightshade family? I didn't know there were black ones. Our nightshade looks like little tomatoes.
July 23rd, 2021  
Eyecatching, nice to know it’s not the deadly kind!
July 23rd, 2021  
@lesip Thank you, Leslie!

@mittens Thank you, Marilyn!

@skipt07 Yes and potatoes, peppers and eggplants are in the nightshade family too. I think your red berries are bittersweet nightshade that grows as a vine.

@craftymeg The ripe black berries are not toxic in small amounts, but the green ones are very toxic. Thank you, Margaret!
July 23rd, 2021  
Look like grapes
July 23rd, 2021  
So interesting and I learned something new
July 23rd, 2021  
Hi Mags, thank you so much for messaging me! Yes I'm fine thank you. Just finding it hard to keep up the motivation to take photos and post them through this all. I'll try again! How are you?
July 23rd, 2021  
Lovelt shot and pretty fruit.
July 23rd, 2021  
@k9photo They almost do. =)

@samae Thank you, Sarah!

@365jgh Hiya Judy! I'm glad you're okay. I'm okay. I am sorry you lost your motivation. I think we all go through that sometime or another. =) Hang in there! I missed you and your photos. =)

@haskar Thank you, Haskar!
July 23rd, 2021  
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