Buffalo Bur, Buffalobur Nightshade, Spiny Nightshade, Colorado Bur, Bad Woman, Kansas Thistle, Mexican Thistle, Texan Thistle…

Solanum rostratum

so-LAY-num  ro-STRAY-tum

Synonyms of Solanum rostratum (15) (Updated on 1-16-23 from Plants of the World Online): Androcera lobata Nutt., Androcera rostrata (Dunal) Rydb., Ceranthera heterandra Raf., Nycterium flavum Lindl., Nycterium heterandrum Heynh., Nycterium lobatum Sweet, Nycterium luteum Torr. ex Steud., Nycterium rostratum (Dunal) Link, Solanum bejarense Moric. ex Dunal, Solanum cornutum Dunal, Solanum heterandrum Pursh, Solanum heterodoxum Andrieux ex Dunal, Solanum hexandrum Steud., Solanum propinquum M.Martens & Galeotti, Solanum rostratum var. subintegrum Fernald

Solanum rostratum Dunal is the accepted scientific name for the Buffalo Bur. It was named and described as such by Michel Félix Dunal in Histoire Naturelle in 1813. 

The genus, Solanum L., was described as such by Carl von Linnaeus in the first volume of the first edition of Species Plantarum in 1753.

As of 1-16-23 when this page was last updated, Plants of the World Online lists 1,235 species in the Solanum genus. It is a member of the plant family Solanaceae with 99 genera. Those numbers could change as updates are made on POWO.

The above distribution map for Solanum rostratum is from Plants of the World Online. Areas in green are where the species is native and purple where it has been introduced. It is quite different than the map below from the USDA Plants Database but I wanted to use it to show where the species has been introduced in other parts of the world. POWO gets some of their maps for North America from Flora of North America, but the plant family Solanaceae has not been included on the FNA website yet. Once FNA includes the family, POWO will update their maps. 

The above distribution map for Solanum rostratum is from the USDA Plants Database. It shows the species is native to most of the United States and introduced across Canada. 

The map on iNaturalist shows where members have made observations. Anyone can join and it is a great website to confirm and share your observations.

THERE ARE SEVERAL LINKS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE FOR FURTHER READING ND TO HELP WITH A BETTER POSITIVE ID.

I found a small colony of this interesting plant while working on a friend’s farm in 2019. Of course, I was also wildflower hunting as I worked with my camera in my back pocket. I later identified this species as Solanum rostratum, commonly known as Buffalo Bur, Buffalobur Nightshade, Spiny Nightshade, Colorado Bur, Bad Woman, Kansas Thistle, Mexican Thistle, Texan Thistle, and possibly others.

I apologize for not writing descriptions at the moment, but I have A LOT of wildflower pages to make and publish before I start getting too busy. I update this site and add new pages over the winter but I didn’t get finished. SO, I decided to just make the page with photos and links to other sites for better plant ID. I will be taking more photos over the summer and posting but I will also be working on these pages as I have time.

 

I have enjoyed photographing and learning about the many wildflowers growing on the farm and other areas. My farm is in Windsor, Missouri in Pettis County (Henry County is across the street and Benton and Johnson aren’t far away). I have grown over 500 different plants and identified over 100 species of wildflowers (most have pages listed on the right side of the page). I am not an expert, botanist, or horticulturalist. I just like growing, photographing, and writing about my experience. I rely on several websites for ID and a few horticulturalists I contact if I cannot figure them out. Wildflowers can be somewhat variable from location to location, so sometimes it gets a bit confusing. If you see I have made an error, please let me know so I can correct what I have written.

I hope you found this page useful and be sure to check the links below for more information. They were written by experts and provide much more information. Some sites may not be up-to-date but they are always a work in progress. If you can, I would appreciate it if you would click on the “Like” below and leave a comment. It helps us bloggers stay motivated. You can also send an email to me at thebelmontrooster@yahoo.com. I would enjoy hearing from you especially if you notice something is a bit whacky.

FOR FURTHER READING:
PLANTS OF THE WORLD ONLINE (GENUS/SPECIES)
INTERNATIONAL PLANT NAMES INDEX (GENUS/SPECIES)
TROPICOS (GENUS/SPECIES)
WORLD FLORA ONLINE (GENUS/SPECIES)
WIKIPEDIA (GENUS/SPECIES)
USDA PLANTS DATABASE
DAVE’S GARDEN
MISSOURI PLANTS
MSU-MIDWEST WEEDS AND WILDFLOWERS
MISSOURI DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION
UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI-WEED ID GUIDE
iNATURALIST
WILDFLOWER SEARCH
ILLINOIS WILDFLOWERS
MINNESOTA WILDFLOWERS
KANSAS WILDFLOWERS AND GRASSES
GO BOTANY
LADY BIRD JOHNSON WILDFLOWER CENTER
UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON/BURKE HERBARIUM
SOUTHWEST DESERT FLORA
SOUTHEASTERN ARIZONA WILDFLOWERS AND PLANTS
CABI-INVASIVE SPECIES COMPENDIUM
THE FIREFLY FOREST

NOTE: The data (figures, maps, accepted names, etc.) may not match on these websites. It depends on when and how they make updates and when their sources make updates. Some websites have hundreds and even many thousands of species to keep up with. Accepted scientific names change periodically and it can be hard to keep with as well. Some of the links may use a name that is a synonym on other sites. In my opinion, Plants of the World Online by Kew is the most reliable and up-to-date plant database and they make updates on a regular basis. I make updates “at least” once a year and when I write new pages or add new photos but I do get behind. We are all a work in progress. 🙂