''Solanum citrullifolium'' is a species of
flowering plant
Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (), commonly called angiosperms. The term "angiosperm" is derived from the Greek words ('container, vessel') and ('seed'), and refers to those plants t ...
in the
Solanaceae
The Solanaceae , or nightshades, are a family of flowering plants that ranges from annual and perennial herbs to vines, lianas, epiphytes, shrubs, and trees, and includes a number of agricultural crops, medicinal plants, spices, weeds, and or ...
family.
It is a
nightshade
The Solanaceae , or nightshades, are a family (biology), family of flowering plants that ranges from Annual plant, annual and perennial herbs to vines, lianas, epiphytes, shrubs, and trees, and includes a number of agricultural crops, medicinal ...
referred to by the common name watermelon nightshade,
as its leaves somewhat resemble those of a
watermelon
Watermelon (''Citrullus lanatus'') is a flowering plant species of the Cucurbitaceae family and the name of its edible fruit. A scrambling and trailing vine-like plant, it is a highly cultivated fruit worldwide, with more than 1,000 varie ...
plant. It is a white-stemmed
shrub
A shrub (often also called a bush) is a small-to-medium-sized perennial woody plant. Unlike herbaceous plants, shrubs have persistent woody stems above the ground. Shrubs can be either deciduous or evergreen. They are distinguished from tree ...
with purple star-shaped flowers. It is native to the southern United States and it is grown in home gardens as an
ornamental plant
Ornamental plants or garden plants are plants that are primarily grown for their beauty but also for qualities such as scent or how they shape physical space. Many flowering plants and garden varieties tend to be specially bred cultivars that ...
.
Not to be confused with the similarly-named "melonleaf nightshade," which is a different species, ''
S. heterodoxum''.
References
Footnotes
* (2004): &ndash
''Solanum citrullifolium'' Version of August 2004. Retrieved 2008-SEP-25.
External links
*
Solanum citrullifolium info'
citrullifolium
Taxa named by Alexander Braun
{{Solanales-stub