Classification

Domain: Eukarya
Kingdom: Plantae
Phylum: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Solanales
Family: Solonaceae
Genus: Atropa
Species: Atropa belladonna

                            © Karelj 2011

Domain: Eukarya
    Deadly Nightshade belongs in this domain because it possesses a true nucleus and membrane bound organelles. Eukarya is a very broad classification, including organisms ranging from giraffes to slime molds to pineapple.                                                                                               

© Patrick Giraud 2006

Kingdom: Plantae
    Deadly Nightshade falls under Plantae because organisms in this kingdom have chloroplasts and cell walls composed primarily of cellulose. They are mostly autotrophic, and the majority of them exhibit an alternation of generations. Some other organisms in this kingdom are white willow, mango trees, and wild rice.                                 
                                                                                                         © Kglavin 2005

Phylum: Magnoliophyta
    This phylum is also known as the Angiosperms, or flowering plants.  It can also be referred to as Anthophyta, which is then divided into classes different from those of Magnoliophyta.  Deadly Nightshade can be put into this phylum, because it has vascular tissue and reproduces via seeds, which are formed through pollination. Another organism in this phylum is the passion fruit tree.

© yo 2007

Class: Magnoliopsida
    This class is also known as the Dicots. (If I had classified Atropa belladonna under Anthophyta instead of Magnoliophyta, I would use the class Dicotyledonae. However, the characteristics of the two different classes are the same.) Its defining characteristics are leaves with netted veins, and floral reproductive organs occurring in multiples of either four or five. They are also characterized by their taproot, instead of the fibrous root system that Monocots possess. Their seeds have two cotyledons, which become the first leaves of the plant when it gets exposed to sunlight, and their pollen grains have three pores instead of the one that Monocots have. Some examples of other plants in this class are apple trees, rye, and licorice.

                                            © Emőke Dénes 2012

Order: Solanales
    There's not much to say about this order, other than the fact that it contains seven families. One of these families is Solonaceae, from which this order takes its name. It is a part of the subclass Asteridae, which is characterized by being sympetalous (the petals are partially or completely fused together). All of the members of this order are dicotyledonous flowering plants.

Family: Solonaceae
    Deadly Nightshade is a part of the potato family, also known as the nightshade family. The majority of plants in this family have perfect flowers (both sexes are present in the same flower), and alternating leaves. The potato family includes popular crops such as potatoes (there's a shocker), tomatoes, eggplant, and various types of peppers, including chili peppers. 

 
Genus: Atropa
    Fun fact for you: This genus is named after one of the Three Fates in Greek mythology, Atropos, the one that cut the thread of life. This genus contains five species: A. acuminata, A. baetica, A. belladonna, A. caucasica, and A. pallidiflora.

Species: Atropa belladonna
    The word "belladonna" means "beautiful lady," and refers to the old Italian practice of women putting the sap of Deadly Nightshade in their eyes to dilate their pupils, apparently making them appear more beautiful. I would definitely not recommend doing this, seeing as the plant contains many unsafe toxins. If you're really set on dilating your pupils, I'm sure you could go talk to an optometrist.


                                                                                                      © H. Zell 2009

Phylogenies

   Tree composed from BIO 203 lecture material.
All plants fall under the supergroup Archaeplastida, a group characterized mainly by its secondary endosymbiosis of cyanobacteria. Those intimidatingly long words basically mean that the common ancestor of the organisms in this group engulfed cyanobacteria at one time, making the bacteria a part of themselves. Over time, the cyanobacteria evolved into the chloroplasts that allow the organisms of the Archaeplastida supergroup to photosynthesize.

Phylogenetic tree composed from BIO 203 lecture materials.

In the Plantae kingdom, there are seven major divisions. These phyla are grouped based on the presence or absence of vascular tissue, the presence or absence of seeds, and the dominance of either the sporophyte or gametophyte generation.

The Liverworts, Hornworts, and true mosses do not have seeds - instead they reproduce via spores. These phyla also do not have vascular tissue, which limits the height and width they can grow to. As a result, their gametophyte generations are dominant.

Moving down the phylogenetic tree, the Lycophytes and Pterophytes have vascular tissue, meaning they can grow taller, but they still reproduce via spores instead of seeds. Their gametophyte and sporophyte generations are equally dominant.

Angiosperms and Gymnosperms have vascular tissue, reproduce via seeds, and have a dominant sporophyte generation. Atropa belladonna falls under the Angiosperm division, meaning it has flowers and its seeds are protected, not "naked" like the seeds of Gymnosperms.

Click here to read about the Habitat of Atropa belladonna,
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