Nearctica - Eastern Wildflowers - Onagraceae - Smaller Enchanter's Nightshade (Circaea alpina)

Smaller Enchanter's Nightshade

(Circaea alpina)

Color Photograph: NRCS Plants Database, U.S. Department of Agriculture

Line Drawing: Britton, N.L., and A. Brown. 1913. An Illustrated Flora of the Northern United States and Canada, Second Edition.

Smaller Enchanter's Nightshade (Circaea alpina L.)

Identification: Flowers small, white with 2 notched petals and 2 downward bent sepals. Fruit ovate with hooked spines. Leaves in opposite pairs, ovoid, tapering to a sharp tip and with their bases usually slightly indented. Outer margin of leaf sharply toothed. Plant 3 to 8 inches in height.

Distribution: Labrador to Alaska and southward to the northeastern and western United States. Occurs further south in the mountains to Georgia. Also inhabits northern Europe and Asia.

Habitat: Smaller Enchanter's Nightshade is found in cool woods.

Flowering period: July to September.

Similar Species: Enchanter's Nightshade is a similar species, but larger. The outer margin of the leaf is not as heavily toothed and the base of the leaf is not indented.