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The belladonna (Atropa belladonna) belongs to Solanaceae (the Nightshade family). It is a perennial herb that is native to Europe, North Africa, and Western Asia. This herb grows in montane wet shade and can reach 50-150 cm in height. The leaves are long ovate and alternate. The flowers are bell-shaped, dull purple with green tinges, and bloom from late spring to summer. The fruits are berries, about 1 cm in diameter, and ripen in shiny black. All parts of the plant contain poisonous tropane alkaloids and may be fatal if ingested by humans or animals.
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