Solanum Species of Eastern Australia
| Solanum Species of Eastern Australia | |
Habit and juveniles. Erect. Rhizomatous perennial shrub. 0.4–1 m high. Juvenile branchlets with c. 7 prickles per dm. Juvenile branchlets prickles c. 6 mm long. Juvenile leaves hastate; shallowly-lobed throughout, or with basal lobes only; with 1–2 pairs of lobes; lamina 8–11.5 cm long; lamina 4.5–6 cm wide; with 0 prickles on upper surface.
Branchlets. Adult branchlets white, or grey, or yellow. Adult branchlets prickles absent, or present; 0–10 per decimetre; straight, broad-based, or curved, broad-based; 2–7 mm long; 4–7 times longer than wide; with scattered stellate hairs on lower half. Adult branchlets hairs stellate. Adult branchlets stellae very dense; 0.2–0.5 mm diameter; stalks 0–0.2 mm long; lateral rays 7–10; lateral rays porrect, or ascending; central ray 0.2–1 times as long as laterals; central ray not gland-tipped; thready, or rigid. Adult branchlets simple hairs absent.
Leaves. Adult leaves ovate, or triangular; with basal lobes only; lobes 1 on each side; lobes obtuse; lamina 2.5–6.5 cm long; lamina 1.1–2.6 cm wide; lamina 1.4–3 times longer than broad; apex obtuse, or acute; base cuneate or attenuate, or obtuse, or cordate, or hastate; oblique part 0–4 mm long; obliqueness index 0–10 percent. Adult leaves petioles 0.5–2 cm long; 15–35 % length of lamina; prickles absent.
Upper leaf surface. Upper leaf surface green; prickles absent; stellate hairs distributed throughout; protostellae absent; stellate hair density very sparse to sparse. Upper leaf surface ordinary stellae 0.4–0.7 mm apart; 0.2–0.4 mm across; stalks 0 mm long; lateral rays 5–10; porrect; central ray 0.7–1.5 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 white, or yellowish; prickles absent. Lower leaf surface stellate hair density dense to very dense. Lower leaf surface stellae 0.05–0.1 mm apart; 0.4–0.5 mm diameter; stalks 0–0.1 mm long; lateral rays 8–13; lateral rays porrect; central ray 0.5–1 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); common peduncle absent, or present; common peduncle 0–10 mm long; rachis prickles absent; 6–20-flowered; with all flowers bisexual. Flowers 5-merous. Pedicels at anthesis 4–6 mm long; same thickness throughout; 0.5–0.7 mm thick at mid-point; prickles absent. Calyx tube at anthesis 1.5–2 mm long. Calyx lobes at anthesis deltate; 1–2.5 mm long. Calyx prickles at anthesis absent. Calyx stellae dense to very dense; white; 0.25–0.4 mm across; stalks 0–0.1 mm long; lateral rays 8–10; central ray 0.7–1.5 times as long as laterals; central ray not gland-tipped. Calyx simple hairs absent. Calyx Type 2 hairs absent. Corolla mauve, or purple; 5–8 mm long; deeply lobed; inner surface glabrous. Anthers 3.5–4.5 mm long. Ovary glabrous. Functional style 5.5–7 mm long; erect; glabrous.
Fruits. Fruiting calyx lobes less than half length of mature fruit, or lobes more than half length of mature fruit; prickles absent. Mature fruits 1–11 per inflorescence; globular; 7–8 mm diameter; red; mesocarp juicy, succulent. Pedicels at fruiting stage 8–12 mm long; 0.7–1 mm thick at mid-point. Seeds pale yellow; 3.5–3.8 mm long.
Distribution and habitat. Queensland, New South Wales. Gregory South, Gregory North, Burke. North far western Plains (NFWP). Shrublands in arid zone.
Miscellaneous. Data source: specimens.
Habit and juveniles. Erect. Annual, or non-rhizomatous perennial shrub. 0.3–1.2 m high. Juvenile stage unknown.
Branchlets. Adult stems prickles absent. Adult branchlets ridged; white, or grey. Adult branchlets prickles absent. Adult branchlets hairs Type 2, or simple. Adult branchlets stellae absent. Adult branchlets simple hairs antrorse, curved; not gland-tipped; 0.25–0.7 mm long. Adult branchlets Type 2 hairs sparse, or dense.
Leaves. Adult leaves lanceolate, or elliptical, or ovate; entire, or shallowly lobed throughout; lobes 0 on each side, or 3–5 on each side; lobes obtuse; lobing index 1–1.1; lamina 1.2–6 cm long; lamina 0.5–2.5 cm wide; lamina 2.2–2.7 times longer than broad; base cuneate or attenuate; oblique part 0–3 mm long. Adult leaves petioles 0.5–1 cm long; winged; prickles absent.
Upper leaf surface. Upper leaf surface green, or grey-green; prickles absent; stellate hairs absent; protostellae absent; stellate hair density absent from surface. Upper leaf surface simple hairs antrorse, curved; moderate to dense; not gland-tipped. Upper leaf surface Type 2 hairs absent.
Lower leaf surface. Lower leaf surface greenish-white, or white; prickles absent. Lower leaf surface stellate hair density absent. Lower leaf surface simple hairs antrorse, curved; moderate to dense; not gland-tipped. Lower leaf surface Type 2 hairs absent.
Inflorescence. Inflorescence supra-axillary; umbellate; common peduncle 10–25 mm long; rachis prickles absent; 4–7-flowered; with all flowers bisexual. Flowers 5-merous. Pedicels at anthesis 2–4 mm long; same thickness throughout; prickles absent. Calyx tube at anthesis 1–1.5 mm long. Calyx lobes at anthesis elliptic, or deltate; 0.8–1.5 mm long. Calyx prickles at anthesis absent. Calyx stellae absent. Calyx simple hairs present. Calyx Type 2 hairs absent. Corolla white; 3.5–7 mm long; deeply lobed; inner surface glabrous. Anthers 2.5–3.5 mm long. Functional style 5–6 mm long; erect; with simple hairs.
Fruits. Fruiting calyx lobes less than half length of mature fruit; prickles absent. Mature fruits globular; 7–9.5 mm diameter; black, or purple; dull. Seeds 1.4–1.8 mm long.
Distribution and habitat. Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria. Moreton, Darling Downs. North Coast (NC), Central Coast (CC), South Coast (SC), Northern Tablelands (NT), Central Tablelands (CT). Shrubby eucalypt woodland, remote from rainforest.
Miscellaneous. Naturalised. Common name: Velvety Nightshade. Data source: Fl of SEQ, Fl of NZ, specimens, Henderson 1974.
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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’.