Solanum dulcamara, L.

Tutin, T. G., Heywood, V. H., Burges, N. A., Moore, D. M., Valentine, D. H., Walters, S. M. & Webb, D. A., 1972, Flora Europaea. Volume 3. Diapensiacea to Myoporaceae, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press : 198

7. S. dulcamara L. , Sp. Pl. 185 (1753)

(inch S. littorale Raab ).

Scrambling, glabrous to pubescent or densely villous-tomentose perennial, with simple hairs; stems 30-200 cm, woody below. Leaves (3-)5-9 x (1-5—)2-5—5(—9) cm, ovate, acute to acuminate, truncate, cordate or hastate at base, entire or with 1-4 lobes or small, stipitate pinnae at base; petiole up to 3 cm. Cymes usually with 10-25 or more flowers, lax, terminal, becoming lateral, several on extra-axillary peduncles usually much-branched 10-40 mm above base. Calyx c. 3 mm; teeth 0-5-1 mm, rounded. Corolla 10-15(-20) mm in diameter, stellate, dark purple (rarely white); lobes 7-10 mm, recurved, each with 2 greenish spots at base. Anthers 5-7 mm, pale yellow. Berry 10-15 x 7-5-10 mm, ovoid, red, shining. 2«=24. Damp woods, hedges, river-banks and sea-shores. Most o f Europe except the extreme north. All except Az Cr Fa Is Sb; only casual in Rs (N).

A procumbent variant with fleshy leaves ( S. marinum (Bab.) Pojark. in Schischkin & Bobrov, Fl. U R SS 22: 16 (1955)) occurs on maritime sand and shingle.

S. persicum Willd. in Roemer & Schultes, Syst. Veg. 4: 662 (1819), from S.E. Russia (and W. Asia), is probably no more than a minor variant of 7, from which it is said to differ by its tomentose stem, ovate-lanceolate, grey-tomentose leaves and subglobose berries.