Solanum Species of Eastern Australia
| Solanum Species of Eastern Australia | |
Habit and juveniles. Erect. Rhizomatous perennial shrub. 1–1.8 m high. Juvenile leaves elliptical, or ovate; shallowly-lobed throughout, or deeply lobed throughout; lamina 3.5–6 cm long; lamina 1.4–2 cm wide.
Branchlets. Adult branchlets grey, or brown. Adult branchlets prickles 1–10 per decimetre; straight, acicular; 6–11 mm long; glabrous. Adult branchlets hairs stellate. Adult branchlets stellae very dense; 0.1–0.2 mm diameter; lateral rays 6–8; lateral rays porrect; central ray 0–0.5 times as long as laterals; central ray not gland-tipped.
Leaves. Adult leaves narrow lanceolate, or elliptical; entire, or shallowly lobed throughout; lobes 0 on each side, or 2 on each side; lobes obtuse; lobing index 1–1.5; lamina 2.9–5.5 cm long; lamina 0.6–1.3 cm wide; lamina 4.2–5 times longer than broad; apex acute; base cuneate or attenuate; oblique part 0–3 mm long; obliqueness index 0–5 percent. Adult leaves petioles 0.5–1.2 cm long; 17–26 % length of lamina; prickles absent.
Upper leaf surface. Upper leaf surface grey-green; prickles absent, or present on midvein only; stellate hairs distributed throughout; protostellae absent; stellate hair density dense. Upper leaf surface ordinary stellae 0.05 mm apart; 0.1–0.15 mm across; lateral rays 6–8; central ray 0–0.5 times as long as laterals; central ray not gland-tipped. Upper leaf surface simple hairs absent. Upper leaf surface Type 2 hairs absent.
Lower leaf surface. Lower leaf surface yellowish; prickles absent. Lower leaf surface stellate hair density very dense. Lower leaf surface stellae 0.15–0.2 mm diameter; lateral rays 6–8; lateral rays porrect; central ray 0–0.5 times as long as laterals; central ray not gland-tipped. Lower leaf surface simple hairs absent. Lower leaf surface Type 2 hairs absent.
Inflorescence. Inflorescence supra-axillary; cymose (pseudo-racemose); rachis prickles absent; 1–4-flowered; strongly andromonoecious, or weakly andromonoecious. Flowers 5-merous. Pedicels at anthesis 6–11 mm long; same thickness throughout; prickles absent. Calyx tube at anthesis 2.5–3.5 mm long. Calyx lobes at anthesis deltate, or attenuate; 1.5–3 mm long. Calyx prickles at anthesis absent, or present; 0–5 per flower. Calyx stellae dense; transparent, or purple; 0.15–0.2 mm across; lateral rays 6–8; central ray 0–0.5 times as long as laterals; central ray not gland-tipped. Calyx simple hairs absent. Calyx Type 2 hairs absent. Corolla purple; 7–9 mm long; rotate, or shallowly lobed. Anthers 3.2–4.6 mm long. Ovary with Type 2 hairs only. Functional style 6.5–7 mm long; erect; with Type 2 hairs only.
Fruits. Fruiting calyx lobes less than half length of mature fruit; prickles absent, or present. Mature fruits 1–2 per inflorescence; globular; 2-locular; mesocarp moist but not juicy. Seeds white, or pale yellow.
Distribution and habitat. New South Wales. Central Tablelands (CT). Shrubby eucalypt woodland, remote from rainforest.
Miscellaneous. Data source: specimens.
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Cite this publication as: ‘Bean, A.R. 2005 onwards. Solanum species of Eastern Australia. Version: 8th October 2006. http://delta-intkey.com’.