Solanaceae

Acnistus
Alona
Anisodus
Anthocercis
Atropa (deadly nightshade)
Browallia
Brugmansia (angel's trumpet)
Brunfelsia
Calibrachoa
Capsicum (peppers)
Cestrum
Chamaesaracha
Combera
Crenidium
Cuatresia
Cyphanthera
Cyphomandra
Datura (jimsonweed)
Duboisia
Fabiana
Hyoscyamus (henbane)
Iochroma
Juanulloa
Lycianthes
Lycium (boxthorn)
Mandragora (mandrake)
Methysticodendron
Nicandra
Nicotiana (tobacco)
Nierembergia or cupflower
Nolana
Petunia
Physalis (cape gooseberry, ground-cherry, tomatillo)
Przewalskia
Quincula
Salpichroa
Salpiglossis
Saracha
Schizanthus
Schwenckia
Scopolia
Solandra
Solanum (tomato, potato, eggplant)
Streptosolen
Vestia
Withania

The Solanaceae is a family of flowering plants, many of which are edible, while others are poisonous (some have both edible and toxic parts). The name of the family comes from the Latin Solanum "the nightshade plant", but the further etymology of that word is unclear; it has been suggested it originates from the Latin verb solari, meaning "to soothe". This would presumably refer to alleged soothing pharmacological properties of some of the psychoactive species found in the family. It is more likely, however, that the name comes from the perceived resemblance that some of the flowers bear to the sun and its rays, and in fact a species of Solanum (Solanum nigrum) is known as the sunberry. The family is also informally known as the nightshade or potato family. The family includes the Datura or Jimson weed, eggplant, mandrake, deadly nightshade or belladonna, capsicum (paprika, chile pepper), potato, tobacco, tomato, and petunia. The Solanaceae family is characteristically ethnobotanical, that is, extensively utilized by humans. It is an important source of food, spice, medicine, and tobacco is also within the family. However, Solanaceae species are often rich in alkaloids that can range in their toxicity to humans and animals from mildly irritating to fatal in small quantities.

Flowers are typically conical or funnelform with five petals, usually fused. The leaves are alternate, often with a hairy or clammy surface. Solanaceous plants produce a fruit that is either a berry, as in the case of the tomato, or a dehiscent (breaks open upon drying, or dehiscing, releasing the seeds) capsule as in the case of Datura. The seeds are usually round and flat, being 2-4 millimeters in diameter. The stamens are usually present in multiples of four (most commonly four or eight). The ovaries are inferior. The hypogynus gynoecium is a syncarp located obliquely in relation to the median.