Solanaceae
Nightshade/Tomato family
The nightshade family — botanically important for tomato, potato, pepper, aubergine, and tobacco. Many produce alkaloids (solanine, nicotine, capsaicin) making them medicinally and toxicologically significant. Characterised by alternate leaves and star-shaped flowers with fused petals.
Browse all 57 species ↓
Alternate leaves and solitary, 5-parted flowers ranging from funnel-shaped to flat and star-like, with the stamens attached to the petal tube.
A family of extremes — tomato, potato and brinjal for food, alongside some of the most alkaloid-rich, toxic plants known, such as Datura.
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How to recognise the Solanaceae family
- 01
Alternate leaves, often malodorous
- 02
Star-shaped flower, 5 fused petals
- 03
Berry or capsule fruit; often alkaloid-rich
Typical leaf characters
Characters typical of the family — individual species can vary.
Typical flower & fruit
- Flower symmetryActinomorphic (radially symmetrical)
- InflorescenceCyme
- FruitBerry
Typical of the family — flowering plants only; species can vary.
Notable members
All 57 species in SOLANACEAE
- Angel's TrumpetBrugmansia suaveolens
- The Lady Of The Night, Today & Tomarrow PlantBrunfelsia americana
- Yesterday Today And TomorrowBrunfelsia pauciflora
- Chilly Plant, Red Peppers, Cayenne Pepper, Long Chilly, Sapnish PimentoCapsicum annuum
- Bird's Eye ChillyCapsicum frutescens
- Yellow Shrub JessamineCestrum aurantiacum
- Day JessamineCestrum diurnum
- Night Jessamine, Queen Of The Night, Lady Of The NightCestrum nocturnum
- Angel's TrumpetDatura arborea
- Long-Spined Thorn-AppleDatura ferox
- DaturaDatura innoxia
- Thorn Apple, Devils Weed, Datura, Jimpson WeedDatura metel
- Common Thorn Apple, Stramonium, Datura, Devil's Apple, Jimson WeedDatura stramonium
- Tomato PlantLycopersicon esculentum
- Shoo-Fly Plant, Apple-Of-PeruNicandra physalodes
- Tex-Mex TobaccoNicotiana plumbaginifolia
- Tobacco Plant, American Tobacco, Virginia TobaccoNicotiana tabacum
- Violetflower PetuniaPetunia integrifolia
- Sunberry, Country GooseberryPhysalis angulata
- Country GooseberryPhysalis minima
- Cape Gooseberry, Peruvian GroundcherryPhysalis peruviana
- Showy Chalice Vine, Cup Of GoldSolandra grandiflora
- American Black NightshadeSolanum americanum
- Common Indian Nightshade, African Egg-PlantSolanum anguivi
- TamarilloSolanum betaceum
- Giant Devil's-FigSolanum chrysotrichum
- Twoleaf NightshadeSolanum diphyllum
- Silver Leaved Night ShadeSolanum elaeagnifolium
- Common NightshadeSolanum erianthum
- Common Snake-AppleSolanum ferox
- Red Bitter BerrySolanum giganteum
- Silverleaf NightshadeSolanum grandiflorum
- Indian NightshadeSolanum indicum
- TomatoSolanum lycopersicum
- BugweedSolanum mauritianum
- Wild Brinjal, Bitter Apple, Egg Plant, BrinjalSolanum melongena var. insanum
- Asian Eggplant, Brinjal, Egg Plant, Jew's Apple, Tropical EggplantSolanum melongena var. melongena
- Black Nightshade, Apple Of Sodom, American Black Nightshade, Black Nightshade, Common NightshadeSolanum nigrum
- Jerusalem CherrySolanum pseudocapsicum
- Thornless Turkey BerrySolanum pubescens
- Shrubby NightshadeSolanum robustum
- The Potato Creeper, Brazilian Nightshade, Italian Jasmine, St. Vincent LilacSolanum seaforthianum
- Sticky NightshadeSolanum sisymbriifolium
- CoconillaSolanum stramoniifolium
- Turkey Berry, Devil's FigSolanum torvum
- Red Pea EggplantSolanum trilobatum
- PotatoSolanum tuberosum
- Mullein NightshadeSolanum verbascifolium
- Tropical Soda-AppleSolanum viarum
- Poison Berry, Indian NightshadeSolanum violaceum
- Poison Berry, Indian NightshadeSolanum violaceum subsp. multiflorum
- Febrifuge Plant, Yellow Berried NightshadeSolanum virginianum
- Marmalade-BushStreptosolen jamesonii
- Winter CherryWithania somnifera
- Physalis micrantha
- Solanum denticulatum
- Solanum vagum
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