This weed is a native of Brazil as the common name suggests. An aggressive climber, Brazilian Nightshade is a garden escapee. It was grown (and may still be) in Brisbane and throughout warmer regions of the world for its attractive mauve-bue star-shaped flowers which develop into glossy red berries. Stems are green and hairless. Leaf blades (lamina) are deeply lobed, with 3-9 lobes that look a little like individual leaflets.
Photo: Matt Tomkins
Fruit
Fruits become shiny, red, globular berries about 1 cm in diameter.
Photo: Anne Jones
Flowers with Bee
Flowers are star-like when open, mauve-blue, up to 3 cm across. Petals are joined at the base. The flower clusters are showy, with up to 50 flowers in a cluster.
Photo: Mark Crocker
Flower closeup
A problem in moist creek edges, as it gets very intertwined with other plants.
Photo: Mark Crocker
