| | Solanum species of eastern and northern Australia |
Habit. Prostrate or sprawling. Rhizomatous perennial shrub. 0.2–0.3 m high.
Branchlets. Branchlets white or yellow or brown. Branchlet prickles 10–90 per decimetre, straight and acicular, 1–8 mm long, 8–11 times longer than wide, glabrous or with stellate hairs only at base or with stellate hairs throughout lower part. Branchlet hairs stellate. Branchlet stellate hairs very dense, 0.6–0.8 mm diameter, stalks 0–0.2 mm long, lateral rays 7–8, lateral rays porrect, central ray 0.4–1.1 times as long as laterals, central ray not gland-tipped. Branchlet short glandular hairs absent.
Leaves. Leaves ovate, 8.2–13.3 cm long, 3.4–4.6 cm wide, 2.2–2.9 times longer than broad, entire or shallowly lobed throughout, lobes 0 on each side or 2 on each side, lobes obtuse, lobing index 1–1.1. Leaf apex acute or acuminate, base cuneate, oblique part 2–7 mm long, obliqueness index 2–7 percent. Petioles 2–3.5 cm long, 20–33% length of lamina, prickles present.
Upper leaf surface. Upper leaf surface green or grey-green, prickles absent or present on midvein only, prickles 0–5, prickles straight and acicular, prickles 1–2 mm long. Upper leaf surface stellate hairs distributed throughout, moderate density or dense, 0.25–0.35 mm apart, 0.6–0.8 mm across, stalks 0–0.15 mm long, lateral rays 7–9, lateral rays porrect, central ray 0.4–1 times as long as laterals, central ray not gland-tipped. Upper leaf surface simple hairs absent. Upper leaf surface short glandular hairs absent.
Lower leaf surface. Lower leaf surface greenish-white or white to grey, prickles absent. Lower leaf surface stellate hairs dense, 0.15–0.3 mm apart, 0.6–0.8 mm diameter, stalks 0–0.3 mm long, lateral rays 7–8, lateral rays porrect, central ray 0.5–1 times as long as laterals, central ray not gland-tipped. Lower leaf surface simple hairs absent. Lower leaf surface short glandular hairs absent.
Inflorescence. Inflorescence supra-axillary, cymose (pseudo-racemose), common peduncle 13–34 mm long, rachis prickles present, 6–9-flowered, with some bisexual and some male flowers. Flowers 5-merous. Pedicels at anthesis 7–11 mm long, same thickness throughout, 0.7 mm thick at mid-point, prickles absent or present. Calyx tube at anthesis 2.5–3 mm long. Calyx lobes at anthesis attenuate, 2.5–8 mm long. Calyx prickles at anthesis present, 6–21 per flower, 0.5–3.5 mm long. Calyx stellae very dense, yellow or white, 0.5–0.7 mm across, stalks 0–0.3 mm long, lateral rays 8, central ray 0.8–1.1 times as long as laterals, central ray not gland-tipped. Calyx simple hairs absent. Calyx short glandular hairs absent. Corolla mauve or purple, 8–10 mm long, deeply lobed, inner surface glabrous. Anthers 3.5–4.5 mm long. Filaments 0.3–0.8 mm long. Ovary with stellate hairs only. Functional style 6–9 mm long, protruding between anthers, glabrous or with stellate hairs only.
Fruits. Fruiting calyx lobes less than half length of mature fruit, prickles 1–3.5 mm long. Mature fruits 1–3 per inflorescence, oblate, 18 mm diameter, green, often streaked, 2-locular, placenta stalked, circular to elliptical or stalked, anvil-shaped, interior moist but not juicy, pericarp 2.5–3 mm thick, pedicels 15–18 mm long. Seeds pale yellow, 2.3–2.5 mm long.
Distribution and habitat. Queensland. Qld: Cook.
Classification. Subg. Leptostemonum. Data source: specimens.
Cite this publication as: ‘Bean, A.R. 2012 onwards. Solanum species of eastern and northern Australia. Version: 25th January 2023. delta-intkey.com’.