Solanum Species of Eastern Australia
| Solanum Species of Eastern Australia | |
Habit and juveniles. Erect. Rhizomatous perennial shrub. 1–2 m high. Juvenile stage unknown.
Branchlets. Adult branchlets yellow, or brown. Adult branchlets prickles 3–20 per decimetre; straight, acicular; 3–5 mm long; 13–16 times longer than wide; glabrous. Adult branchlets hairs stellate. Adult branchlets stellae dense to very dense; 0.3–0.4 mm diameter; stalks 0 mm long; lateral rays 7–8; lateral rays porrect; central ray 2–6 times as long as laterals; central ray not gland-tipped.
Leaves. Adult leaves lanceolate, or elliptical, or ovate; entire, or shallowly lobed throughout; lobes 0 on each side, or 3–4 on each side; lobes obtuse; lobing index 1–1.2; lamina 7.5–14 cm long; lamina 2–4.5 cm wide; lamina 2.5–5.2 times longer than broad; apex acute; base cuneate or attenuate; oblique part 0–4 mm long; obliqueness index 0–4 percent. Adult leaves petioles 0.4–0.8 cm long; 3–7 % length of lamina; prickles absent.
Upper leaf surface. Upper leaf surface green; prickles absent; stellate hairs absent, or confined to midrib; stellate hair density absent from surface. Upper leaf surface simple hairs absent. Upper leaf surface Type 2 hairs absent.
Lower leaf surface. Lower leaf surface yellowish, or rusty; prickles absent. Lower leaf surface stellate hair density dense. Lower leaf surface stellae 0.1–0.2 mm apart; 0.4–0.5 mm diameter; stalks 0 mm long; lateral rays 7–8; lateral rays porrect; central ray 3–6 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 0–3 mm long; rachis prickles absent; 7–20-flowered; with all flowers bisexual. Flowers 5-merous. Pedicels at anthesis 4–7 mm long; same thickness throughout; 0.25–0.4 mm thick at mid-point; prickles absent. Calyx tube at anthesis 1.5–2 mm long. Calyx lobes at anthesis deltate; 0.5–1.2 mm long. Calyx prickles at anthesis absent. Calyx stellae dense to very dense; yellow, or white; 0.2–0.3 mm across; stalks 0 mm long; lateral rays 5–7; central ray 2–3 times as long as laterals; central ray not gland-tipped. Calyx simple hairs absent. Calyx Type 2 hairs absent. Corolla mauve; 5–7 mm long; deeply lobed; inner surface glabrous. Anthers 3–4.5 mm long. Ovary with stellate hairs only. Functional style 5–7 mm long; erect; with stellate hairs only; stellae 0.2–0.4 mm across; stellae lateral rays 5–7; stellae central ray 0.5–1 times as long as laterals.
Fruits. Fruiting calyx lobes less than half length of mature fruit; prickles absent. Mature fruits 1–3 per inflorescence; globular; 9–12 mm diameter; red; 1-locular (septum absent or incomplete); placenta not apparent; mesocarp juicy, succulent; exocarp 0.8 mm thick. Pedicels at fruiting stage 15–23 mm long; 0.5–0.8 mm thick at mid-point. Seeds pale yellow; 2.6–3.3 mm long.
Distribution and habitat. Queensland. Cook. Semi-deciduous vine forest on sand, laterite or granite.
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’.