I don't think the nodding flowers are unique to S. nigrum. Most specimens S. americanum from authentic sources show nodding flowers and fruits. I have no reason to doubt these and eFlora of China and Taiwan. Above all S. americanum is commonly known as glossy nightshade because of shining fruits.
Here are images from reputed sources: 1. Solanum species of Eastern Australia at http://delta-intkey.com http://delta-intkey.com/solanum/www/american.htm’ (the images of plant and fruit are from this site only 2. Plants of Hawaii http://www.hear.org/starr/images/species/?q=solanum+americanum&o=plants 3. Missouri plants: http://www.missouriplants.com/Whitealt/Solanum_americanum_page.html 4. Calphotos http://calphotos.berkeley.edu/cgi/img_query?where-genre=Plant&where-taxon=Solanum+americanum -- Dr. Gurcharan Singh Retired Associate Professor SGTB Khalsa College, University of Delhi, Delhi-110007 Res: 932 Anand Kunj, Vikas Puri, New Delhi-110018. Phone: 011-25518297 Mob: 9810359089 http://people.du.ac.in/~singhg45/ On Sat, Dec 4, 2010 at 1:50 PM, Pankaj Kumar <[email protected]> wrote: > My issue here is, I see all the flowers as nodding, which is one of > the main characters for Solanum nigrum alongwith other features as > described in above two mails. > > Plz Note: In one of the above mails I have wrongly labelled one of the > image as Protologue of Solanum indicum, it is actually Solanum nigrum. > > Regards > Pankaj > > > > On Sun, Dec 5, 2010 at 3:16 AM, Pankaj Kumar <[email protected]> > wrote: > > Solanum americanum Mill. Gard. Dict., ed. 8. n. 5. 1768 > > > > Unfortunately, I couldnt find any type for this. > > Phillip Miller describes Solanum americanum in latin and then at the > > same time he described it in english as: > > Nightshade with an herbaceous unarmed stalk, oval, acute pointed, > > smooth leaves and erect umbels. Aamerican Nightshade like the common > > sort with small purplish flower and smaller black berries. > > > > In the same book on previous page serial number 1, he described > > Solanum nigrum in latin as well as english as: > > Nightshade with herbaceous unarmed stalk having ten angles and nodding > > umbels. Common Nightshade of the shops with black berries. > > > > Regards > > Pankaj > > > > > > -- > > *********************************************** > > "TAXONOMISTS GETTING EXTINCT AND SPECIES DATA DEFICIENT !!" > > > > > > Pankaj Kumar Ph.D. (Orchidaceae) > > Research Associate > > Greater Kailash Sacred Landscape Project > > Department of Habitat Ecology > > Wildlife Institute of India > > Post Box # 18 > > Dehradun - 248001, India > > > > > > -- > *********************************************** > "TAXONOMISTS GETTING EXTINCT AND SPECIES DATA DEFICIENT !!" > > > Pankaj Kumar Ph.D. (Orchidaceae) > Research Associate > Greater Kailash Sacred Landscape Project > Department of Habitat Ecology > Wildlife Institute of India > Post Box # 18 > Dehradun - 248001, India >
