Solanum umbelliferum var. tenuilobatum
Narrow-lobed nightshade
Photo: parent species Solanum umbelliferum · (c) Adam J. Searcy, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Solanaceae · Type: Shrub · Native
Solanum umbelliferum var. tenuilobatum (Narrow-lobed nightshade) is a native California shrub in the Solanaceae family.
Narrow-lobed nightshade is a California native shrub found in brushy areas at elevations up to 1,220 meters. Flowering from February to May, this plant produces dark blue-purple flowers about 15 to 18 millimeters in diameter. Growing up to 1 meter tall with nearly erect stems, it features distinctive dark green herbage that is glabrous or minutely puberulent. Its leaves are 2 to 3 centimeters long, linear to narrowly oblong, with most leaves having a pair of linear basal lobes, giving the plant a unique hastate appearance. The small fruits are approximately 3 to 5 millimeters in diameter.
Habitat and range
Habitat: Brushy areas
Elevation: <= 1220 m
Outside California: nw Baja California
Bloom period
Solanum umbelliferum var. tenuilobatum blooms Feb-May.
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. tenuilobatum native to California?
Yes. Solanum umbelliferum var. tenuilobatum is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Solanum umbelliferum var. tenuilobatum bloom?
Solanum umbelliferum var. tenuilobatum blooms Feb-May.
What plant family does Solanum umbelliferum var. tenuilobatum belong to?
Solanum umbelliferum var. tenuilobatum is in the Solanaceae family, genus Solanum.
What habitat does Solanum umbelliferum var. tenuilobatum grow in?
Solanum umbelliferum var. tenuilobatum grows in Brushy areas.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Solanum umbelliferum var. umbelliferum — Blue witch nightshade
- Solanum umbelliferum var. wallacei — Island nightshade
- Solanum umbelliferum var. xanti — Purple nightshade
- Solanum americanum — American black nightshade
- Solanum carolinense var. carolinense — Carolina horse-nettle
- Solanum clokeyi — Island Nightshade
- Calibrachoa parviflora — Wild petunia
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-09-30
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.