Solanum opacum
Common names
green berry nightshade
Biostatus
Native
Current conservation status
The conservation status of all known New Zealand vascular plant taxa at the rank of species and below were reassessed in 2022-2023 using the New Zealand Threat Classification System (NZTCS) – more information about this can be found on the NZTCS website. This report includes replaces all previous NZTCS lists for vascular plants. Previous assessments can be found here.
- Conservation status of vascular plants in Aotearoa New Zealand, 2023. 2024. Peter J. de Lange, Jane Gosden, Shannel P. Courtney, Alexander J. Fergus, John W. Barkla, Sarah M. Beadel, Paul D. Champion, Rowan Hindmarsh-Walls, Troy Makan and Pascale Michel Department of Conservation. Source: NZTCS and licensed by DOC for reuse under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence.
2023 | Not Threatened | Qualifiers: SO
Category
Vascular
Structural class
Herbs - Dicotyledons other than Composites
Flower colours
White
Detailed description
Annual or short-lived perennial herb, forming spindly plants or densely branched bushes up to 1 m tall, all parts either glabrous or silky hairy. Stems unarmed or weakly armed. Leaves on petioles (10)–20–60 mm long; lamina variable, 10–50–(80) × 8–40–(76) mm, green, yellow-green, dark-green, often blotched or tinged maroon, sometimes purple-green; ovate, ovate-oblong, lanceolate-ovate, entire, sinnuate or coarsely toothed (sometimes distantly so), rarely lobulate, base attenuate to broadly attenuate, sometimes narrowly winged; apex acute. Inflorescences umbellate, (3)–5–6–(10)-flowered, peduncles stout, 10–20 mm long, pedicels deflexed (strongly so at fruiting). Calyx 2–3 mm diameter at anthesis, accrescent; lobes broadly ovate to oblong, usually strongly reflexed at fruiting (sometimes with mixtures of mostly reflexed, and some weakly accrescent). Corolla 5–8 mm diameter, stellate, white or pale mauve, lobes narrowly lanceolate to narrowly deltoid. Anthers 1.0–1.5 mm. Berry up to 10 mm diameter, globose, green, purple-black or black, dull (not glossy); stone cells present. Seeds 1.0–2.5 mm diameter, obovate to broadly obovate or circular, compressed, orange-yellow to pale tan, glossy or not.
Similar taxa
Distinguished from Solanum nigrum by the umbellate inflorescences, smaller stamens (1.0–1.5 mm long cf. 2 mm or more in length), smaller flowers with a stellate corolla, mostly reflexed, sometimes weakly accrescent calyx lobes, and dull purple-black to greenish-black fruits. Solanum nigrum has consistently accrescent calyx lobes, glossy purple black (in New Zealand plants) fruits, larger stamens,and larger flowers without a stellate corolla. Solanum opacum differs from S. americanum by having much broader, larger reflexed to weakly accrescent calyx lobes—the calyx lobes of S. americanum are always reflexed, smaller and much narrower. All three species are genetically distinct from and do not hybridize with each other.
Distribution
Indigenous. New Zealand: Kermadec Islands, North Island,probably elsewhere. A widespread species in the Pacific Basin and Australasia.
Habitat
A species of coastal and lowland, often early stage successional habitats. Also found in wasteland and urban areas growing with S. nigrum and S. americanum.
Threats
Probably ‘Not Threatened’ but as the presence of this species in New Zealand has only recently (2017) been recognized (specimens of this species have previously been confused with S. americanum and S. nigrum) as a precautionary measure it would be appropriate to treat S. opacum as ‘Data Deficient’ until more information becomes available. Indications are that it is likely to be widespread, at least in northern New Zealand, and it is present on the Kermadec Islands.
Detailed taxonomy
Genus
Family
Endemic taxon
No
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Ecology
Flowering
Throughout the year
Fruiting
Throughout the year
Propagation technique
Easily grown from fresh seed. However, like all members of the S. nigrum group, inclined to be weedy.
Other information
Etymology
solanum: Derivation uncertain - possibly from the Latin word sol, meaning “sun,” referring to its status as a plant of the sun. Another possibility is that the root was solare, meaning “to soothe,” or solamen, meaning “a comfort,” which would refer to the soothing effects of the plant upon ingestion.
NVS code
The National Vegetation Survey (NVS) Databank is a physical archive and electronic databank containing records of over 94,000 vegetation survey plots - including data from over 19,000 permanent plots. NVS maintains a standard set of species code abbreviations that correspond to standard scientific plant names from the Ngä Tipu o Aotearoa - New Zealand Plants database.
SOLOPA
Previous conservation status
The conservation status of all known New Zealand vascular plant taxa at the rank of species and below were reassessed in 2022-2023 using the New Zealand Threat Classification System (NZTCS) – more information about this can be found on the NZTCS website. This report includes replaces all previous NZTCS lists for vascular plants. Previous assessments can be found here.
- Conservation status of vascular plants in Aotearoa New Zealand, 2023. 2024. Peter J. de Lange, Jane Gosden, Shannel P. Courtney, Alexander J. Fergus, John W. Barkla, Sarah M. Beadel, Paul D. Champion, Rowan Hindmarsh-Walls, Troy Makan and Pascale Michel Department of Conservation. Source: NZTCS and licensed by DOC for reuse under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence.
2017 | Data Deficient
Regional conservation statuses
Auckland: 2025 | Regionally Not Threatened | Qualifiers: SO
The regional threat classification system leverages off the national assessments in the NZTCS, providing information relevant for the regional context. Auckland conservation status information is sourced from the “Conservation status of vascular plant species in Tāmaki Makaurau / Auckland” Simpkins E et al. (2025) report.
Referencing and citations
Attribution
Fact Sheet prepared for the NZPCN by P.J. de Lange 30 November 2017. Description by P.J. de Lange
NZPCN Fact Sheet citation
Please cite as: de Lange, P.J. (Year at time of access): Solanum opacum Fact Sheet (content continuously updated). New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/solanum-opacum/ (Date website was queried)