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{{Taxobox
| color = lightgreen
| name = Bittersweet
| image = XN Solanum dulcamara 00.jpg
| image_width = 240px
| regnum = [[Plant]]ae
| divisio = [[Magnoliophyta]]
| classis = [[Magnoliopsida]]
| ordo = [[Solanales]]
| familia = [[Solanaceae]]
| genus = ''[[Solanum]]''
| species = '''''S. dulcamara'''''
| binomial = ''Solanum dulcamara''
| binomial_authority = [[Carolus Linnaeus|L.]]
}}
'''''Solanum dulcamara''''' ('''Bittersweet''', '''Bitter Nightshade''', '''Blue Bindweed''', '''Climbing Nightshade''', '''Fellenwort''', '''Felonwood''', '''Poisonberry''', '''Poisonflower''', '''Scarlet Berry''', '''Snakeberry''', '''Trailing Bittersweet''', '''Trailing Nightshade''', '''Violet Bloom''' or, '''Woody Nightshade''') is a [[species]] of vine in the [[potato]] genus ''[[Solanum]]'', family [[Solanaceae]]. It is native to [[Europe]] and [[Asia]], and widely naturalised elsewhere, including [[North America]], where it is an [[Invasive species|invasive]] problem [[weed]]. It occurs in a very wide range of [[Habitat (ecology)|habitats]], from [[woodland]]s to [[scrubland]], [[hedge (gardening)|hedge]]s and [[marsh]]es.
[[Image:SolanumDulcamara-plant-sm.jpg|left|thumb|Plant]]
Bittersweet is a semi-[[wood]]y [[herbaceous]] [[perennial]] [[vine]], which scrambles over other plants, capable of reaching a height of 4 m where suitable support is available, but more often 1-2 m high. The [[Leaf|leaves]] are 4-12 cm long, roughly arrowhead-shaped, and often lobed at the base. The [[flower]]s are in loose clusters of 3-20, (1-1.5 cm) across, star-shaped, with five purple petals and yellow stamens and style pointing forward. The [[fruit]] is an ovoid red [[berry]] about 1 cm long, soft and juicy, [[poisonous]] to humans and livestock but edible for [[bird]]s, which disperse the seeds widely. As with most ''Solanum'' species, the foliage is also poisonous to humans.
Bittersweet is used in [[homeopathic medicine]] and [[herbalism]]. Its main usage is for conditions that have an impact on the [[skin]], [[mucous membrane]] and the membrane ([[synovial membrane]]) around the joints. Bittersweet is considered to be an important remedy for treating [[herpes]] infections and [[allergies]].
----
The name '''bittersweet''' is also confusingly used in some areas for some species in the genus ''[[Celastrus]]'' (the '''[[Staff vine]]s''', family [[Celastraceae]]), e.g. [[Staff vine|American bittersweet]] (''C. scandens'') and [[Staff vine|Oriental bittersweet]] (''C. orbiculatus'').
Other common names include Trailing Nightshade, Bittersweet, Trailing Bittersweet, Climbing Nightshade, Blue Bindweed, Bitter Nightshade, Fellenwort, Dogwood, Woody Nightshade, Poisonflower, Poisonberry, Snakeberry, and Scarlet Berry.
==References==
* {{cite book | author=[[Neltje Blanchan|Blanchan, Neltje]] | title=[[Wild Flowers Worth Knowing]] | year=[[2005]] | publisher=[[Project Gutenberg|Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation]]}}
<gallery>
Image:SolanumDulcamara-leaf-sm.jpg|Leaves
Image:SolanumDulcamara-flower-sm.jpg|Flowers
Image:Bittersweet3900.JPG|Flowers and unripe berries
Image:XN Solanum dulcamara 01.jpg|Fruits
</gallery>
[[Category:Solanum]]
[[Category:Poisonous plants]]
[[Category:Flora of Europe]]
[[Category:Flora of Estonia]]
[[Category:Flora of the United Kingdom]]
| color = lightgreen
| name = Bittersweet
| image = XN Solanum dulcamara 00.jpg
| image_width = 240px
| regnum = [[Plant]]ae
| divisio = [[Magnoliophyta]]
| classis = [[Magnoliopsida]]
| ordo = [[Solanales]]
| familia = [[Solanaceae]]
| genus = ''[[Solanum]]''
| species = '''''S. dulcamara'''''
| binomial = ''Solanum dulcamara''
| binomial_authority = [[Carolus Linnaeus|L.]]
}}
'''''Solanum dulcamara''''' ('''Bittersweet''', '''Bitter Nightshade''', '''Blue Bindweed''', '''Climbing Nightshade''', '''Fellenwort''', '''Felonwood''', '''Poisonberry''', '''Poisonflower''', '''Scarlet Berry''', '''Snakeberry''', '''Trailing Bittersweet''', '''Trailing Nightshade''', '''Violet Bloom''' or, '''Woody Nightshade''') is a [[species]] of vine in the [[potato]] genus ''[[Solanum]]'', family [[Solanaceae]]. It is native to [[Europe]] and [[Asia]], and widely naturalised elsewhere, including [[North America]], where it is an [[Invasive species|invasive]] problem [[weed]]. It occurs in a very wide range of [[Habitat (ecology)|habitats]], from [[woodland]]s to [[scrubland]], [[hedge (gardening)|hedge]]s and [[marsh]]es.
[[Image:SolanumDulcamara-plant-sm.jpg|left|thumb|Plant]]
Bittersweet is a semi-[[wood]]y [[herbaceous]] [[perennial]] [[vine]], which scrambles over other plants, capable of reaching a height of 4 m where suitable support is available, but more often 1-2 m high. The [[Leaf|leaves]] are 4-12 cm long, roughly arrowhead-shaped, and often lobed at the base. The [[flower]]s are in loose clusters of 3-20, (1-1.5 cm) across, star-shaped, with five purple petals and yellow stamens and style pointing forward. The [[fruit]] is an ovoid red [[berry]] about 1 cm long, soft and juicy, [[poisonous]] to humans and livestock but edible for [[bird]]s, which disperse the seeds widely. As with most ''Solanum'' species, the foliage is also poisonous to humans.
Bittersweet is used in [[homeopathic medicine]] and [[herbalism]]. Its main usage is for conditions that have an impact on the [[skin]], [[mucous membrane]] and the membrane ([[synovial membrane]]) around the joints. Bittersweet is considered to be an important remedy for treating [[herpes]] infections and [[allergies]].
----
The name '''bittersweet''' is also confusingly used in some areas for some species in the genus ''[[Celastrus]]'' (the '''[[Staff vine]]s''', family [[Celastraceae]]), e.g. [[Staff vine|American bittersweet]] (''C. scandens'') and [[Staff vine|Oriental bittersweet]] (''C. orbiculatus'').
Other common names include Trailing Nightshade, Bittersweet, Trailing Bittersweet, Climbing Nightshade, Blue Bindweed, Bitter Nightshade, Fellenwort, Dogwood, Woody Nightshade, Poisonflower, Poisonberry, Snakeberry, and Scarlet Berry.
==References==
* {{cite book | author=[[Neltje Blanchan|Blanchan, Neltje]] | title=[[Wild Flowers Worth Knowing]] | year=[[2005]] | publisher=[[Project Gutenberg|Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation]]}}
<gallery>
Image:SolanumDulcamara-leaf-sm.jpg|Leaves
Image:SolanumDulcamara-flower-sm.jpg|Flowers
Image:Bittersweet3900.JPG|Flowers and unripe berries
Image:XN Solanum dulcamara 01.jpg|Fruits
</gallery>
[[Category:Solanum]]
[[Category:Poisonous plants]]
[[Category:Flora of Europe]]
[[Category:Flora of Estonia]]
[[Category:Flora of the United Kingdom]]
