tall bushy herb, the deadly nightshade (Atropa belladonna), of the family Solanaceae (order Solanales), and the crude drug consisting of its dried leaves or roots. The plant, which grows to about 1.5 metres (4–5 feet) tall, is a native of wooded or waste areas in central and southern Eurasia. It has dull green leaves, violet or greenish flowers in the axils of the leaves or in the forks of branches, shiny black berries about the size of cherries, and a large tapering root.