Solanum parishii A. Heller
Parish’s purple nightshade, Parish’s nightshade
Parish’s purple nightshade is native to western North America.
Plants: Up to 3′ (1 m) in height, branching freely.
Leaves: Lanceolate to oval, up to 2½″ (7 cm) long, with smooth edges.
Flowers: Flowerheads are umbels. Flowers are purple (sometimes white) and star-shaped. The midvein of each petal is dark purple, and the flower’s center is a small spike comprised of yellow anthers.
Fruits: Berries are about ⅜″ (1 cm) in size.
Habitats: Dry chaparral, woodlands, coastal areas, canyons, at elevations below 1.2 mi (2.0 km).
Edibility: Poisonous.
Plants, and especially fruits, are
poisonous to humans and many animals.
Online References:
2/26/2010 · Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve, La Jolla, California · ≈ 6 × 4″ (15 × 10 cm)
ID is uncertain 
2/26/2010 · Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve, La Jolla, California · ≈ 3 × 2″ (7.6 × 5.9 cm)
ID is uncertain 
2/26/2010 · Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve, La Jolla, California · ≈ 12 × 8″ (31 × 20 cm)
ID is uncertain 
| Kingdom | Plantae | Plants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae (from Stearn's Botanical Latin) |
| Subkingdom | Tracheobionta | Vascular plants—plants with a “circulatory system” for delivering water and nutrients |
| Division | Magnoliophyta | Flowering plants, also known as angiosperms |
| Class | Magnoliopsida | Dicotyledons—plants with two initial seed leaves |
| Subclass | Asteridae | A large class that encompasses asters |
| Order | Solanales | Potatoes, eggplants, tomatoes, peppers, tobacco, petunias, sweet potatoes, morning glories, many others |
| Family | Solanaceae | Nightshade or potato family |
| Genus | Solanum | “Quieting,” for the narcotic effect of some species |
| Species | parishii | For brothers Samuel Bonsall Parish (1838-1928) and William Fletcher Parish (1840-1918), both botanical collectors |
Solanum parishii description by Thomas H. Kent, not updated.
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