On 4 Sep 2003 20:02:03 GMT, Nick Maclaren wrote:

The reason that I don't eat black nightshade, despite being fairly
adventurous, is that the Solanaceae are notorious for having plants
with some parts of some varieties at some stages of development
after some treatments that are edible and good, and the same plant
under other conditions causing permanent damage.

I have not yet seen a trustworthy description of the conditions
under which black nightshade is safe to eat, though I have seen a
fair number of statements that the cooked, ripe berry is. But none
of them were clear the exact species and/or variety (and it is a
VERY widespread species, so geographic strains or growing conditions
could be important).

Find the book "Nightshades, The Paradoxical Plants" by Charles B
Heiser, Jr., W. H. Freeman Co, San Francisco, 1969 for a
comprehensive discussion of the identity of the "garden
huckleberry" and the similar "sunberry" or "wonderberry"
introduced by Luther Burbank nearly 100 years ago.

Regrettably, Heiser's discussion is far too long to quote and so
complex as to defy summarization. Suffice it to say that there
are safely edible plants which are forms of Solanum nigrum or a
closely related species. Burbank's berry appears to be a South
African species called "msoba", botanical name unknown.

Nonetheless, Solanum nigrum as a reputation for toxicity which
one disregards at risk to one's health and life. Only *some*
forms are safe to eat.


--
Rodger Whitlock
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada