Bittersweet Nightshade

Solanum dulcamara

Family
Solanaceae

Related genera
Atropa, Brugmansia, Datura, Hyoscyamus, Mandragora, Nicotiana, Scopolia, Solanum

Names
This herb in the nightshade family is also known as Climbing Nightshade, Bittersweet, Woody Nightshade, Felonwood, Fellonwort, Poisonberry, Poisonflower, Scarlet Berry, Snakeberry, Trailing Bittersweet, Trailing Nightshade, Violet Bloom, Blue Bindweed and Amara Dulcis.

Dulcamara consists of the two words dulce = sweet and amarus = bitter, hence 'bittersweet'.

In Germany it is called also Bittersüßer Nachtschatten or simply Bittersüß. Further is called by such pictorial names as Hundbeere, Mäuseholz, Mausholz, Natter(n)holz, Pissranken, Rote Hundsbeere, Saurebe, Stinkteufel, Süßstoff, Teufelsklatten, Waldnachtschatten, Wasserranke and Wolfsbeere.

Habitat
Solanum dulcamara is native to Europe, Asia and Northafrica. It grows naturally in alluvial forrests, but grows also in dryer areas and on loamy soils. It is considered invasive in some regions.

Habitus

A climber, this semi-shrubby plant can reach lengths of up to seven metres. The stems turn woody whilst the upper green sprouts die back in winter. The flowers are of a beautiful purple color with prominent yellow stamina that attract flies and other insects. The plant flowers from June to August. The fruits ripen from August to October and occur in bunches of 5-10 berries, which are of a bright red color and contain sugar as well as bitterns from which the plant got its name dulcamara (=sweetbitter).

Toxicity
All parts contain steroid alcaloides and saponines, e.g. Solanin, which is poisonous. The concentraitons of these vary in between different races of the plant, which develop depending on local conditions. The alcaloid concentration is, as in Black Nightshade, highest in the unripe green fruits and lowest in the stems and ripe fruits. A lethal dose for a child are said to be 30-40 unripe berries.

Medicinal
Used are the stems (Dulcamarae stipes), which are collected either in spring when the plant begins to flower, or in autumn when the plant sheds its leaves. Beta Solamarine and steroid saponines are thought to be responsible for the plant's immune-suppressive, cortisone-like, anti-inflammatory and antipruritic effects, which play a roll in treating chronic skin irrations like neurodermitis. Other folkmedicinal uses include its application in bloodcleansing teas and treating nausea, rheumatism, chronic bronchitis and asthma.

Sources

Wikipedia English, Wikipedia German
The Poison Garden
Christian Rätsch, Enzyklopädie der psychoaktiven Pflanzen

Fotos © Teufelskunst