Black nightshade is one of those plants that were once very common in our fields but now less so as modern agricultural methods reduce the 'weeds' that grow amongst crops. If the flower appears familiar it is because it is closely related to the potato and tomato. Black nightshade produces black berries and that is, presumably, where it gets its name as no other part of the plant is black although the stems can turn dark when the plant is fully grown.
Like other members of the nightshade family the berry is not good for you so leave them alone! They are poisonous although you have to eat a lot of them for it to be fatal. The whole plant can be toxic to livestock so this is not a popular plant with farmers.
That said, in some places in the world the leaves and shoots are boiled as a vegetable and it is used for all sorts of medicinal purposes around the world. It is even grown as a crop in parts of India. Like many 'weeds' it has a number of different local names and these include garden nightshade, hound's berry, petty morel and even wonder berry; I wonder why? Perhaps it is because you look at the berry and wonder whether you should eat it or leave it alone ...
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