Citation: L.f., Suppl. 147 (1782).

Synonymy: Not Applicable

Common name: White-edged nightshade.

Description:
A sparingly clonal shrub to 1.5 m tall; prickles to 1 cm long, straight, present on stems, petioles, upper and lower leaf surfaces and on the calyx of hermaphrodite flowers; stems and lower sides of leaves with a tomentum of close dense minute silvery-stellate hairs, sparse on the upper leaf surface except for the margin where a distinct band persists; leaves c. 12 x 8 cm, oval, with 7-11 rounded lobes, their apices rounded or obtuse, sinuses shallow and rounded, leaf margins somewhat sinuate-crenate, lower surface densely white-tomentose, upper surface dull-green except for a distinct pale tomentose edge, leaf base unequal or auriculate-cordate; petiole 2-2.5 cm long, densely white-tomentose, usually bearing a few prickles.

Inflorescence a short cyme of 1-5 hermaphrodite flowers with as many male flowers above; hermaphrodite flowers with pedicels 2-2.5 cm long, more stout and prickly; calyx prickly; lobes 5-10 x 3-5 mm, almost leafy, unequal, veins prominent; corolla 3-4 cm long, rotate, white or very pale-mauve, stellate-pubescent within and without; anthers sessile or nearly so, stout, c. 7 mm long, yellow; ovary densely white-stellate-pubescent; style c. 1 cm long, densely-pubescent; stigma green; male flowers similar, usually slightly smaller; calyx lobes less well developed, with fewer or no prickles; ovary lacking.

Fruits solitary or few together, globular, 3-4 cm diam., on strong stout deflexed pedicels c. 2.5 cm long, 5-6 mm thick just above the calyx; calyx lobes not appressed nor greatly enlarged; berry first marbled-green and white, later pale- to deep-yellow, skin rather thick, flesh greenish; seeds 2-2.5 mm long, thick, flattish, light-brown, with a fine granular surface.

	Flowering and fruiting branch and a fruit.
Image source: fig. 576D in Jessop J.P. & Toelken H.R. (Ed.) 1986. Flora of South Australia (4th edn).

Published illustration: Symon (1981) J. Adelaide Bot. Gard. 4:261.

Distribution:  This species is grown as an ornamental; it was sparingly naturalised in the southern States of Australia. S.Aust.: NL, MU, SL, SE.   Vic.; Tas.   Native to north-east Africa. Conservation status: naturalised Flowering time: Oct. — May but few records.

SA Distribution Map based on current data relating to specimens held in the State Herbarium of South Australia

Biology: No text

Author: Not yet available