Common Name: Sticky nightshade, Bitter apple.
Sticky nightshade is a sub-shrub of South American origin and grows to a height of about 1 meter. It is seen in hilly areas of Western Ghats -mostly seen above 1800 MSL. The entire plant is hairy and prickly, the stem appears yellowish-orange in color. The simple leaves are arranged in an opposite manner. The leafs are intensely lobed- can be easily mistaken for a single pinnate leaf. The lobes extend deep into the leaf lamella- almost touching the mid-vein of the leaf. The leaf is prickly on the leaf stalk and on the upper and lower surfaces. These prickles appear in a shade of orange. The leaf length measure around 12 cm. The leafs have 5-6 very deep lobes. The inflorescence is axillary, flowers are white with a shade of purple. The spiny flower stalk measure around 2 cm; the flower across measure 4 cm. The five parted calyx is gree in color with several prickles. The flower is star shaped and the yellow anthers are held together at the center of the flower. The fruit is in the form of a prickly berry. Commonly found around road-sides and fallow lands in Upper Nilgiris.
