White-tip Nightshade - introduced (*Solanum chenopodioides)

Family: Solanaceae (Potato family).

Native of Argentina.

Occurrence: A weed of river banks, ditches etc.

Identification:

• the plant resembles Black Nightshade
• the petals are whitish and narrow
• the fruit ripen to a black colour
• the stalks of the fruit are bent back at a sharp angle
• the leaves are paler underneath, and hairy (with short hairs) underneath.

An uncommon weed that could easily be overlooked because of its resemblance to Black Nightshade.

Similar species: Black Nightshade differs in that it is able to grow in drier conditions, the petals are broader, the leaves are the same colour on both surfaces, and the stalks of the fruit are less sharply bent back.

Photos 1: Whitetip Nightshade. Bradford. As the fruit ripen they turn black. Note the paler leaf undersurface. 2: Forest Creek, Castlemaine.