| | Solanum species of eastern and northern Australia |
Habit. Erect. Rhizomatous perennial shrub or non-rhizomatous perennial shrub. 1–4 m high. Large stems prickles absent.
Branchlets. Branchlet prickles absent. Branchlet hairs short glandular or simple. Branchlet stellate hairs absent. Branchlet simple hairs erect, straight, not gland-tipped, 0.05–0.15 mm long, short glandular hairs sparse or dense.
Leaves. Leaves ovate or broadly ovate, 13–19 cm long, 8–12 cm wide, entire. Leaf apex obtuse, base cordate. Petioles 5–8 cm long, prickles absent.
Upper leaf surface. Upper leaf surface green, prickles absent. Upper leaf surface stellate hairs absent, protostellae absent, absent from surface. Upper leaf surface simple hairs erect, straight, sparse or moderate to dense, not gland-tipped. Upper leaf surface short glandular hairs present throughout.
Lower leaf surface. Lower leaf surface green, prickles absent. Lower leaf surface stellate hairs absent. Lower leaf surface simple hairs erect, straight, sparse or moderate to dense, not gland-tipped. Lower leaf surface short glandular hairs present throughout.
Inflorescence. Inflorescence leaf-opposed, cymose (pseudo-racemose), rachis prickles absent, 5–15-flowered, with all flowers bisexual. Flowers 5-merous. Pedicels at anthesis 10–20 mm long, prickles absent. Calyx tube at anthesis 2.5–3.5 mm long. Calyx lobes at anthesis deltate. Calyx prickles at anthesis absent. Calyx stellae absent. Calyx simple hairs present. Calyx short glandular hairs present. Corolla pink, 7–10 mm long, deeply lobed. Anthers 4–6 mm long. Functional style 5–6 mm long.
Fruits. Fruiting calyx prickles absent. Mature fruits ellipsoidal or ovoid, 35–45 mm diameter, brown or red, dull.
Distribution and habitat. Queensland, New South Wales. Qld: Moreton, Darling Downs, Wide Bay, Burnett, Kennedy North. NSW: North Coast, Central Coast, South Coast. Wet eucalypt forest with rainforest understorey, or rainforest margins.
Classification. Naturalised. Subg. Bassovia. Common name: Tamarillo. Data source: Fl of NSW, Fl of NZ.
Illustrations. • bush. • fruits.
Cite this publication as: ‘Bean, A.R. 2012 onwards. Solanum species of eastern and northern Australia. Version: 25th January 2023. delta-intkey.com’.
