Solanum wallacei

Read about Solanum wallacei in the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture

Solanum wallacei, Parish. A shrubby plant often forming round masses and reaching a height of about 3 ft., the sts. densely villous with long many-celled tawny viscid hairs: lvs. rather thick, usually less densely hairy than the sts., the lower rather large, cordate, the upper ovate, rounded or sub-cordate at the base: fls. in rather large forked cymes, corolla 1 – 1 1/2 in. diam., pale violet: ripe fr. dark purple. Islands off the coast of Calif., Low. Calif., and near the seacoast in Cent. Calif. The S. Xanti var. Wallacei of Gray. The above text is from the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture. It may be out of date, but still contains valuable and interesting information which can be incorporated into the remainder of the article. Click on "Collapse" in the header to hide this text.

? Solanum wallacei
File:Wallace's Nightshade.jpg
Plant Info
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae Division: Magnoliophyta Class: Magnoliopsida Sublass: Asteridae Order: Solanales Family: Solanaceae Genus: Solanum Species: S. wallacei
Binomial name
Solanum wallacei (Gray) Parish

Solanum wallacei, also known as Wallace's nightshade, Catalina nightshade, Northern island nightshade, or Wild Tomato, is a perennial plant that produces purple flowers, but otherwise resembles a tomato plant. The foliage and purple-black berries are poisonous.

This rare plant is native to canyons and hillsides on Santa Catalina and Guadalupe Islands. It blooms in April and May.

Wallace's nightshade is named for William Allen Wallace (1815-1893) who collected samples from the Los Angeles area around 1854. Also named for him, Eriophyllum wallacei, the woolly daisy, among others.

References

• Solanum wallacei
• Catalina Island Conservancy
• Sources of botanical names - W