Solanum Species of Eastern Australia
| Solanum Species of Eastern Australia | |
Habit and juveniles. Erect. Rhizomatous perennial shrub. 0.3–0.6 m high. Juvenile branchlets with 0–5 prickles per dm. Juvenile branchlets prickles 2–3 mm long. Juvenile leaves ovate; entire; lamina c. 4 cm long; lamina 2 cm wide; with 0–4 prickles on upper surface.
Branchlets. Adult stems prickles absent. Adult branchlets white, or grey. Adult branchlets prickles absent. Adult branchlets hairs stellate. Adult branchlets stellae very dense; 0.3–1 mm diameter; stalks 0–0.6 mm long; lateral rays 7–8; lateral rays porrect; central ray 0.7–1.2 times as long as laterals; central ray not gland-tipped; thready, or rigid. Adult branchlets Type 2 hairs absent.
Leaves. Adult leaves lanceolate, or ovate; entire; lamina 2.5–7 cm long; lamina 1.2–2.8 cm wide; lamina 1.8–3 times longer than broad; apex obtuse, or acute; base obtuse, or cordate; oblique part 0–3 mm long; obliqueness index 0–5 percent. Adult leaves petioles 0.4–1.4 cm long; 15–35 % length of lamina; prickles absent.
Upper leaf surface. Upper leaf surface grey-green; prickles absent; stellate hairs distributed throughout; protostellae absent; stellate hair density moderate density to dense. Upper leaf surface ordinary stellae 0.1–0.3 mm apart; 0.4–0.7 mm across; stalks 0.1–0.3 mm long; lateral rays 7–8; porrect; central ray 0.7–1.8 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, or yellowish; prickles absent. Lower leaf surface stellate hair density dense to very dense. Lower leaf surface stellae 0.05–0.15 mm apart; 0.5–0.7 mm diameter; stalks 0.2–0.4 mm long; lateral rays 7–8; lateral rays porrect; central ray 0.5–1.2 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; solitary, or sessile (contracted), or cymose (pseudo-racemose); common peduncle absent, or present; common peduncle 0–3 mm long; 3–5-flowered; with all flowers bisexual. Flowers 4–5-merous. Pedicels at anthesis 4–7 mm long; same thickness throughout; 0.9–1 mm thick at mid-point; prickles absent. Calyx tube at anthesis 1–2 mm long. Calyx lobes at anthesis elliptic; 2.5–7 mm long. Calyx prickles at anthesis absent. Calyx stellae very dense; white; 0.4–1 mm across; stalks 0–0.25 mm long; lateral rays 7–8; central ray 0.8–1.2 times as long as laterals; central ray not gland-tipped. Calyx simple hairs absent. Calyx Type 2 hairs absent. Corolla mauve, or purple; 7–10 mm long; rotate, or shallowly lobed; inner surface glabrous. Anthers 3–4 mm long. Ovary with Type 2 hairs only. Functional style 5.5–8 mm long; erect; with Type 2 hairs only.
Fruits. Fruiting calyx lobes exceeding mature fruit; prickles absent. Mature fruits 1 per inflorescence; globular; 4.5–9 mm diameter; red; glabrous, or with a few scattered Type 2 hairs; 1-locular (septum absent or incomplete); placenta not apparent; mesocarp juicy, succulent; exocarp 0.2–0.25 mm thick. Pedicels at fruiting stage 6–11 mm long; 0.8–1.2 mm thick at mid-point. Seeds pale yellow; 2–2.3 mm long.
Distribution and habitat. Queensland. Moreton, Darling Downs, Burnett, Leichhardt, Port Curtis. Shrubby eucalypt woodland, remote from rainforest, lancewood communities (dominated by Acacia catenulata, shirleyi, burrowii, etc.).
Miscellaneous. Data source: specimens.
Illustrations. • fruit. • flower. • whole plant. • flowers and fruit.
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’.
