Solanum Species of Eastern Australia
| Solanum Species of Eastern Australia | |
Habit and juveniles. Erect. Rhizomatous perennial shrub. 0.7–1.5 m high. Juvenile stage unknown.
Branchlets. Adult branchlets brown, or green. Adult branchlets prickles 350–800 per decimetre; straight, acicular; 1–10 mm long; 14–18 times longer than wide; glabrous. Adult branchlets hairs Type 2, or stellate. Adult branchlets stellae absent, or sparse to moderate; 0.3–0.5 mm diameter; stalks 0 mm long; lateral rays 4–6; lateral rays porrect; central ray 0.4–0.8 times as long as laterals; central ray not gland-tipped. Adult branchlets Type 2 hairs sparse.
Leaves. Adult leaves broadly ovate, or orbicular; deeply lobed throughout; lobes 3–5 on each side; lobes acute; lobing index 2–25; lamina 5–11.5 cm long; lamina 3.5–10 cm wide; lamina 1.1–1.5 times longer than broad; apex acute; base obtuse, or cordate; oblique part 0–7 mm long; obliqueness index 0–9 percent. Adult leaves petioles 2–3.4 cm long; 25–35 % length of lamina; prickles absent.
Upper leaf surface. Upper leaf surface green; prickles present on midvein and lateral veins; prickles 15–100; prickles straight, acicular; prickles 1–10 mm long; stellate hairs confined to midrib, or distributed throughout; protostellae absent; stellate hair density absent from surface, or very sparse. Upper leaf surface ordinary stellae 0.9–7.5 mm apart; 0.3–0.45 mm across; stalks 0 mm long; lateral rays 4–8; porrect; central ray 0.4–0.8 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 green; prickles present on midvein and lateral veins; prickles 10–30; prickles straight, acicular. Lower leaf surface stellate hair density absent, or very sparse. Lower leaf surface stellae 0.8–3.2 mm apart; 0.45–0.6 mm diameter; stalks 0–0.1 mm long; lateral rays 6–8; lateral rays porrect; central ray 0.4–0.8 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), or branched (paniculate to corymbose); common peduncle 18–39 mm long; rachis prickles present; 14–30-flowered; with all flowers bisexual. Flowers 5-merous. Pedicels at anthesis 4–8 mm long; same thickness throughout; 0.3–0.4 mm thick at mid-point; prickles absent. Calyx tube at anthesis 1.5–2.5 mm long. Calyx lobes at anthesis deltate, or rostrate; 1.5–3 mm long. Calyx prickles at anthesis absent. Calyx stellae moderate; transparent; 0.25–0.4 mm across; stalks 0 mm long; lateral rays 6–8; central ray 0.7–1.3 times as long as laterals; central ray not gland-tipped. Calyx simple hairs absent. Calyx Type 2 hairs present. Corolla purple; 7–9 mm long; deeply lobed; inner surface glabrous. Anthers 4–5.5 mm long. Ovary with Type 2 hairs only, or with stellate and Type 2 hairs. Functional style 4.5–6.5 mm long; erect; with Type 2 hairs only.
Fruits. Fruiting calyx lobes less than half length of mature fruit; prickles absent. Mature fruits 3–9 per inflorescence; globular; 6–9 mm diameter; black; 1-locular (septum absent or incomplete); placenta not apparent; mesocarp juicy, succulent; exocarp 0.15–0.3 mm thick. Pedicels at fruiting stage 4–10 mm long; 0.5–0.8 mm thick at mid-point. Seeds pale yellow, or brown to black; 2.1–2.8 mm long.
Distribution and habitat. Queensland. Darling Downs, Leichhardt. Semi-evergreen vine thicket or brigalow/belah, shrubby eucalypt woodland, remote from rainforest.
Miscellaneous. Data source: specimens.
The interactive key provides access to the character list, illustrations, full and partial descriptions, diagnostic descriptions, differences and similarities between taxa, lists of taxa exhibiting specified attributes, and summaries of attributes within groups of taxa.
Cite this publication as: ‘Bean, A.R. 2005 onwards. Solanum species of Eastern Australia. Version: 8th October 2006. http://delta-intkey.com’.