Solanum Species of Eastern Australia
| Solanum Species of Eastern Australia | |
Habit and juveniles. Erect. Rhizomatous perennial shrub. 0.3–0.5 m high. Juvenile stage unknown.
Branchlets. Adult branchlets yellow, or rusty. Adult branchlets prickles 180–420 per decimetre; straight, acicular; 2–11 mm long; 11–15 times longer than wide; with dense stellate hairs on lower part. Adult branchlets hairs stellate. Adult branchlets stellae very dense; 0.9–1.2 mm diameter; stalks 0–1 mm long; lateral rays 6–8; lateral rays porrect, or ascending; central ray 1–1.7 times as long as laterals; central ray not gland-tipped; thready.
Leaves. Adult leaves ovate, or broadly ovate; entire; lamina 5–9.5 cm long; lamina 2.8–5.5 cm wide; lamina 1.6–1.8 times longer than broad; apex obtuse, or acute, or acuminate; base obtuse, or cordate; oblique part 0–3 mm long; obliqueness index 0–6 percent. Adult leaves petioles 1.1–4.4 cm long; 20–45 % length of lamina; prickles present.
Upper leaf surface. Upper leaf surface grey-green; prickles present on midvein only, or present on midvein and lateral veins; prickles 3–35; prickles straight, acicular; prickles 1–5 mm long; stellate hairs distributed throughout; protostellae present; stellate hair density dense. Upper leaf surface ordinary stellae 0.2–0.4 mm apart; 0.8–1.2 mm across; stalks 0.1–0.9 mm long; lateral rays 7–8; porrect, or ascending; central ray 1–1.7 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 present on midvein only, or present on midvein and lateral veins; prickles 5–20; prickles straight, acicular. Lower leaf surface stellate hair density dense to very dense. Lower leaf surface stellae 0.05–0.25 mm apart; 0.7–1.2 mm diameter; stalks 0–1 mm long; lateral rays 6–8; lateral rays porrect, or ascending; central ray 1–1.7 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 0–25 mm long; rachis prickles present; 3–5-flowered. Flowers 5-merous. Pedicels at anthesis 4–6 mm long; same thickness throughout; 0.9–1.2 mm thick at mid-point; prickles present. Calyx tube at anthesis 1.5–2 mm long. Calyx lobes at anthesis attenuate; 3–5.5 mm long. Calyx prickles at anthesis present; 50–70 per flower; 2–6 mm long. Calyx stellae very dense; yellow, or white; 0.7–0.9 mm across; stalks 0–0.7 mm long; lateral rays 7–8; central ray 1–1.7 times as long as laterals; central ray not gland-tipped. Calyx simple hairs absent. Calyx Type 2 hairs absent. Corolla purple; 8–10 mm long; shallowly lobed; inner surface glabrous. Anthers c. 3.8 mm long. Ovary with Type 2 hairs only. Functional style c. 5.8 mm long; erect; with Type 2 hairs only.
Fruits. Fruiting calyx lobes more than half length of mature fruit; prickles 3–6 mm long. Mature fruits 1–2 per inflorescence; globular; 15 mm diameter; yellowish-green, or green, often streaked; mesocarp moist but not juicy. Pedicels at fruiting stage 8.5 mm long; 1.5–1.8 mm thick at mid-point.
Distribution and habitat. Queensland. South Kennedy. Shrubby eucalypt woodland, remote from rainforest.
Miscellaneous. Data source: specimens.
Illustrations. • type specimen.
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’.
