Solanum umbelliferum var. clokeyi
Clokey's nightshade
Photo: parent species Solanum umbelliferum · (c) Adam J. Searcy, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Solanaceae · Type: Perennial · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 4.2
Solanum umbelliferum var. clokeyi (Clokey's nightshade) is a native California perennial in the Solanaceae family.
Clokey's nightshade is a California native perennial herb ranked 4.2 by CNPS, found in brushy areas at elevations up to 800 meters. Flowering from March to July (occasionally in September), this plant produces bluish lavender to violet flowers up to 30 millimeters in diameter. Growing with green, round stems that spread softly with hairs, it forms a prostrate to erect plant 15 to 45 centimeters tall. Its leaves are 3 to 10 centimeters long, elliptic to widely oblong-lanceolate, with entire or irregularly toothed margins and soft hairs on the underside. The fruit is a yellow globe 8 to 25 millimeters in diameter.
Habitat and range
Habitat: Brushy areas
Elevation: <= 800 m
Bloom period
Solanum umbelliferum var. clokeyi blooms Mar-Jul (Sep).
Conservation status
CNPS 4.2
How to tell it apart
vs Lycianthes: Solanum anthers open by pores at tips; Lycianthes anthers split lengthwise.; vs Physalis: Solanum lacks papery lantern around fruit; Physalis has distinctive inflated calyx covering the berry.; vs Phacelia: Solanum has yellow anther cone; Phacelia has protruding stamens and coiled flower clusters.; vs Capsicum: Solanum has rotate star flowers; Capsicum has flowers with spreading petals not forming flat star.; vs Salvia: Solanum has 5 stamens forming yellow cone; Salvia has 2 stamens and square stems.
Frequently asked questions
Is Solanum umbelliferum var. clokeyi native to California?
Yes. Solanum umbelliferum var. clokeyi is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Solanum umbelliferum var. clokeyi bloom?
Solanum umbelliferum var. clokeyi blooms Mar-Jul (Sep).
What plant family does Solanum umbelliferum var. clokeyi belong to?
Solanum umbelliferum var. clokeyi is in the Solanaceae family, genus Solanum.
Is Solanum umbelliferum var. clokeyi rare or endangered?
Solanum umbelliferum var. clokeyi carries California Rare Plant Rank 4.2, state rank S3.
What habitat does Solanum umbelliferum var. clokeyi grow in?
Solanum umbelliferum var. clokeyi grows in Brushy areas.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Solanum umbelliferum var. glabrescens — Bald blue-witch nightshade
- Solanum umbelliferum var. hoffmannii — Hoffmann's nightshade
- Solanum umbelliferum var. incanum — White-stemmed nightshade
- Solanum umbelliferum var. obispoense — Obispo nightshade
- Solanum umbelliferum var. spencerae — Parish nightshade
- Solanum umbelliferum var. tenuilobatum — Narrow-lobed nightshade
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-08
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.