Black nightshade (Solanum nigrum)

Ranti or black nightshade (Solanum nigrum) is a species of plant in the Solanaceae, shrub and short-lived, stems erect or lying on the ground, berries have a black color when ripe, grows in forests, agricultural land and disturbed habitats.

S. nigrum has stems erect or lying at ground level, 30–120 cm (12 to 47 in) long, branched, tubular with several linear grooves forming a cone, green and white-haired.

Leaves are elliptical to heart-shaped, 4-7.5 cm long, 2-5 cm wide, pinnate base, pointed or blunt tip, wavy edge or large toothed, dark green upper side, pale underside, hairy or hairless and has a stalk with a length of 1-3 cm.

Flowers have greenish to whitish petals, curved when old and surrounded by bright yellow anthers. The berries are mostly 6-8 mm in diameter and are green then turn dull black or black purple or red.

Black nightshade grows well with a soil pH of 5.5-6.5 and is rich in organic matter. It is difficult to grow under conditions of high temperature and high humidity which causes the plant to grow slowly, shoots soft, easily aging fibers and poor commodities.

Kingdom: Plantae
Phylum: Tracheophyta
Subphylum: Angiospermae
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Solanales
Family: Solanaceae
Subfamily: Solanoideae
Tribe: Solaneae
Genus: Solanum
Species: Solanum nigrum
Subspecies: Solanum nigrum ssp. nigrum, Solanum nigrum ssp. schultesii

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