Solanum kitagawae, also known as Kitagawa’s nightshade, is a species of flowering plant in the family Solanaceae, native to Northeast Asia. It has been listed under the names Solanum borealisinense and Solanum depilatum. The generic name was first used by Pliny the Elder (AD 23–79) for a plant also known as strychnos, most likely Solanum nigrum. Its derivation is uncertain, possibly stemming from the Latin word sol meaning “sun”, referring to its status as a plant of the sun. Solanum kitagawae is named after Masao Kitagawa (1910–1995), a Japanese botanist and pteridologist. Most parts of the plant, especially the green parts and unripe fruit, are poisonous to humans.
