Carolina Horsenettle Fruit

Description:

The fruit of Carolina Horsenettle resembles tomatoes - immature fruit is dark green with stripes; as it matures, the fruit turns yellow and wrinkles. The flowers have five petals and are usually white with yellow centers. The leaves are alternate and oval-shaped, and are covered with fine hairs. The plant grows to 3 feet tall.

Habitat:

On the ground in an open meadow at Bent of the River Audubon.

Notes:

"All parts of the plant are poisonous to varying degrees due to the presence of solanine, which is a toxic alkaloid and one of the plant's natural defenses. While ingesting any part of the plant can cause fever, headache, scratchy throat, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, ingesting the fruit can cause abdominal pain, circulatory and respiratory depression, or even death." - Wikipedia