Solanum dulcamara L.
bittersweet
Unarmed, scrambling or sprawling perennial, glabrous or with simple hairs; stems to 2.5-(4) m long, somewhat woody towards base; lenticels prominently raised. Petioles to c. 7 cm long. Lamina 4-12 × 2-8 cm, ovate or broadly ovate, entire or with 1-2-(4) basal lobes or leaflets, usually with simple hairs, these sometimes dense; base generally subcordate when lamina entire; apex acute to acuminate. Cymes simple and ± umbellate or in loose panicles; rachis 2-9-(13) cm long, ± hairy; pedicels < rachis, prominent and becoming recurved at fruiting, hairy or glabrous; fls usually 10-25. Calyx 2-3 mm long, divided nearly to base, accrescent; lobes broad-triangular and very shallow, usually covered with short ± appressed hairs, rarely glabrous. Corolla 10-15 mm diam., lobed nearly to base, usually purple, rarely nearly white; lobes narrow-triangular, becoming recurved, ± hairy, especially at margins. Anthers 4-5 mm long. Berry 0.8-1.5 cm diam., oblong-ovoid to almost globose, scarlet, shining; stone cells 0. Seeds 2-3 mm diam., orbicular or suborbicular.
N.: naturalised extensively in many areas from Taranaki, the Volcanic Plateau and Hawke's Bay southwards; S.: Buller and Canterbury, sometimes common.
Eurasia, N. Africa 1924
Rather shaded or damp places in scrub and on forest margins, by rivers, irrigation channels, pools and similar moist habitats, also very common in modified sites around gardens and plantations.
FL Nov-Mar.
Poisonous (Connor 1977).
