Found in flower in June and July in moist grounds.

The stalk, erect at first, branches and takes to climbing later; it is nearly smooth, and quite tough, with a strong, coarse odor; green.

The leaves, from 2 to 3 inches long, are somewhat variable in shape, the lower ones being heart-shaped, while the upper ones are deeply cut at the base into 2 long narrow lobes; they taper at the tip, and are on short foot-stems (about 1 inch long); coarse in texture; dark green.

The 5-pointed star-shaped corolla is of a deep purple color, with a yellow cone, made of 5 stamens, in the center; the calyx is small, bell-shaped and 5-notched; brownish-green. The flowers, on short curving foot-stems, hang in loosely branching clusters from the angles of the leaves.

The oval berry ripening, in August and September, is bright red, while those of the Deadly Nightshade are blue-black. Its coarse odor betrays its kinship to the potato plant.