Solanum umbelliferum var. wallacei
Island nightshade, Wallace's Nightshade
Photo: parent species Solanum umbelliferum · (c) Adam J. Searcy, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Solanaceae · Type: Shrub · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 1B.1
Solanum umbelliferum var. wallacei (Island nightshade) is a native California shrub in the Solanaceae family, recognized by . Distinguished by Channel Islands location and dense glandular hairs.
Island nightshade is a rare (CNPS 1B.1) California native shrub found in the Channel Islands in canyon and chaparral habitats at elevations below 300 meters. Flowering from February to August, this plant produces violet to purple flowers 3 to 5 centimeters in diameter with small green basal spots. Growing 1 to 3 meters tall with much-branched stems that are densely soft-hairy and glandular, it develops an intricate, bushy form. Its leaves are 3 to 11 centimeters long, elliptic to ovate with entire margins and occasionally small lobes at the base, varying from rounded to heart-shaped. The fruit develops 1.5 to 4 centimeters long, ripening to yellow or deep purple-black.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 14 sympatric species. Distinguished by Channel Islands location and dense glandular hairs.
Habitat and range
Habitat: Canyons, chaparral
Elevation: < 300 m
California counties: Los Angeles, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Ventura, San Mateo, Riverside
Outside California: Baja California (Guadalupe Island)
Bloom period
Solanum umbelliferum var. wallacei blooms Feb-Aug.
Conservation status
CNPS 1B.1
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. wallacei native to California?
Yes. Solanum umbelliferum var. wallacei is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Solanum umbelliferum var. wallacei bloom?
Solanum umbelliferum var. wallacei blooms Feb-Aug.
Where in California does Solanum umbelliferum var. wallacei grow?
Solanum umbelliferum var. wallacei occurs in Los Angeles, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Ventura, San Mateo, Riverside, at elevations of < 300 m.
What plant family does Solanum umbelliferum var. wallacei belong to?
Solanum umbelliferum var. wallacei is in the Solanaceae family, genus Solanum.
Is Solanum umbelliferum var. wallacei rare or endangered?
Solanum umbelliferum var. wallacei carries California Rare Plant Rank 1B.1, state rank S2.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Solanum umbelliferum var. xanti — Purple nightshade
- Solanum americanum — American black nightshade
- Solanum carolinense var. carolinense — Carolina horse-nettle
- Solanum clokeyi — Island Nightshade
- Solanum douglasii — Greenspot nightshade
- Solanum dulcamara — Bittersweet nightshade
- Calibrachoa parviflora — Wild petunia
- Calibrachoa sp.
- Cestrum elegans — Purple cestrum
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CNPS Rare Plant Inventory · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos · CDFW CNDDB
Last updated 2026-10-06
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.