Deadly Nightshades: Family Solanaceae

The Solanaceae is the family of the Deadly Nightshades.  They include the edible potatoes tomatoes and chilli peppers in addition to the hallucinogenic and toxic mandrake, belladonna, and datura.  In fact, when Europeans first came to the New World, they knew this family.  Unfortunately the plants they knew from the family were the deadly nightshades.  Because of this, it took a while for Europeans to adopt tomatoes and potatoes.

There are about 2,800 species in 85 genera (Carr). 

Systematics:
This plant is a dicot. Leaves are simple, alternate. Flowers are
usually 5-merous (sometimes 4- or 6-merous). Stamens alternate with the
petals. Usually only one compound pistil