Solanum Species of Eastern Australia
| Solanum Species of Eastern Australia | |
Habit and juveniles. Erect. Herbaceous resprouter, or rhizomatous perennial shrub. 0.2–0.6 m high. Juvenile stage unknown.
Branchlets. Adult stems prickles present. Adult branchlets white, or grey. Adult branchlets prickles absent, or present; 0–30 per decimetre; straight, acicular; 0.5–13 mm long; 8–11 times longer than wide; with scattered stellate hairs on lower half. Adult branchlets hairs stellate. Adult branchlets stellae very dense; 0.2–0.4 mm diameter; stalks 0–0.1 mm long; lateral rays 13–15; lateral rays porrect, or multiradiate; central ray absent, or present; central ray 0–0.7 times as long as laterals; central ray not gland-tipped; thready. Adult branchlets Type 2 hairs absent.
Leaves. Adult leaves broadly ovate, or orbicular; entire; lamina 1–2.5 cm long; lamina 0.9–2.8 cm wide; lamina 0.8–1.4 times longer than broad; apex obtuse; base obtuse, or cordate; oblique part 0–1 mm long; obliqueness index 0–6 percent. Adult leaves petioles 0.1–0.3 cm long; 6–18 % length of lamina; prickles absent.
Upper leaf surface. Upper leaf surface green, or grey-green, or grey; prickles absent, or present on midvein only; prickles 0–2; prickles straight, acicular; prickles 1–7 mm long; stellate hairs distributed throughout; protostellae absent; stellate hair density moderate density to dense. Upper leaf surface ordinary stellae 0.1–0.25 mm apart; 0.15–0.3 mm across; stalks 0 mm long; lateral rays 12–16; porrect, or multiradiate; central ray 0.1–0.5 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; prickles absent. Lower leaf surface stellate hair density very dense. Lower leaf surface stellae c. 0.05 mm apart; 0.2–0.35 mm diameter; stalks 0 mm long; lateral rays 9–18; lateral rays porrect, or multiradiate; central ray 0.3–0.8 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); common peduncle absent, or present; common peduncle 0–4 mm long; rachis prickles absent, or present; 4–6-flowered. Flowers 5-merous. Pedicels at anthesis 2.5–7 mm long; same thickness throughout; 0.5–0.8 mm thick at mid-point; prickles absent. Calyx tube at anthesis 2–3 mm long. Calyx lobes at anthesis deltate; 2.5–3.5 mm long. Calyx prickles at anthesis absent. Calyx stellae very dense; yellow, or white; 0.3–0.4 mm across; stalks 0–0.2 mm long; lateral rays 10–16; central ray 0.7–1.3 times as long as laterals; central ray not gland-tipped. Calyx simple hairs absent. Calyx Type 2 hairs absent. Corolla purple; 8–11 mm long; rotate; inner surface glabrous. Anthers 3.5–5.5 mm long. Ovary with Type 2 hairs only. Functional style 7–8 mm long; erect; with Type 2 hairs only.
Fruits. Fruiting calyx lobes less than half length of mature fruit; prickles absent. Mature fruits 1–6 per inflorescence; globular; 8–11 mm diameter; brown, or yellow; mesocarp moist but not juicy. Pedicels at fruiting stage 3–8 mm long; 0.6–0.9 mm thick at mid-point. Seeds brown to black; 3.6–5.3 mm long.
Distribution and habitat. Queensland, New South Wales. Warrego, Gregory South. North far western Plains (NFWP). Shrublands in arid zone.
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’.