And while they do belong to the nightshade plant family (Solanaceae), those “poison apples” weren’t really poisoning the aristocrats who ate them. Instead, it’s now understood that highly ...

Also commonly known as dwale, death cherries, and devil’s berries, belladonna is a member of the Solanaceae, or nightshade, family. Solanaceae contains about 2,700 species across 98 genera.

I am a specialist on the taxonomy of the nightshade family, Solanaceae, and have spent much time in the field in Central and South America collecting plants. My particular focus of research is the ...