| | Solanum species of eastern and northern Australia |
Habit. Erect. Rhizomatous perennial shrub. 0.7–1.5 m high.
Branchlets. Branchlets brown or green. Branchlet prickles 350–800 per decimetre, straight and acicular, 1–10 mm long, 14–18 times longer than wide, glabrous. Branchlet hairs short glandular or stellate. Branchlet stellate hairs absent or sparse to moderate, 0.3–0.5 mm diameter, stalks 0 mm long, lateral rays 4–6, lateral rays porrect, central ray 0.4–0.8 times as long as laterals, central ray not gland-tipped. Branchlet short glandular hairs sparse.
Leaves. Leaves broadly ovate or orbicular, 5–11.5 cm long, 3.5–10 cm wide, 1.1–1.5 times longer than broad, deeply lobed throughout, lobes 3–5 on each side, lobes acute, lobing index 2–25. Leaf apex acute, base obtuse or cordate, oblique part 0–7 mm long, obliqueness index 0–9 percent. Petioles 2–3.4 cm long, 25–35% length of lamina, prickles absent.
Upper leaf surface. Upper leaf surface green, prickles present on midvein and lateral veins, prickles 15–100, prickles straight and acicular, prickles 1–10 mm long. Upper leaf surface stellate hairs confined to midrib or distributed throughout, protostellae absent, absent from surface or very sparse, 0.9–7.5 mm apart, 0.3–0.45 mm across, stalks 0 mm long, lateral rays 4–8, lateral rays porrect, central ray 0.4–0.8 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 green, prickles present on midvein and lateral veins, prickles 10–30, prickles straight and acicular. Lower leaf surface stellate hairs absent or very sparse or sparse, 0.8–3.2 mm apart, 0.45–0.6 mm diameter, stalks 0–0.1 mm long, lateral rays 6–8, lateral rays porrect, central ray 0.4–0.8 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) or branched (paniculate to corymbose), common peduncle 18–39 mm long, rachis prickles present, 14–30-flowered, with all flowers bisexual. Flowers 5-merous. Pedicels at anthesis 4–8 mm long, same thickness throughout, 0.3–0.4 mm thick at mid-point, prickles absent. Calyx tube at anthesis 1.5–2.5 mm long. Calyx lobes at anthesis deltate or rostrate, 1.5–3 mm long. Calyx prickles at anthesis absent. Calyx stellae moderate, transparent, 0.25–0.4 mm across, stalks 0 mm long, lateral rays 6–8, central ray 0.7–1.3 times as long as laterals, central ray not gland-tipped. Calyx simple hairs absent. Calyx short glandular hairs present. Corolla purple, 7–9 mm long, deeply lobed, inner surface glabrous. Anthers 4–5.5 mm long. Ovary with short glandular hairs only or with stellate and short glandular hairs. Functional style 4.5–6.5 mm long, protruding between anthers, with short glandular hairs only.
Fruits. Fruiting calyx lobes less than half length of mature fruit, prickles absent. Mature fruits 3–9 per inflorescence, globular, 6–9 mm diameter, black, 1-locular (septum absent or incomplete), placenta not apparent, interior juicy, succulent, pericarp 0.15–0.3 mm thick, pedicels 4–10 mm long, pedicels 0.5–0.8 mm thick at mid-point. Seeds pale yellow or black, 2.1–2.8 mm long.
Distribution and habitat. Queensland. Qld: Darling Downs, Maranoa, Leichhardt. Semi-evergreen vine thicket or brigalow/belah, shrubby eucalypt woodland, remote from rainforest.
Classification. Subg. Leptostemonum. Data source: specimens.
Illustrations. • coracinum4.jpg. • coracinum3.jpg. • coracinum2.jpg.
Cite this publication as: ‘Bean, A.R. 2012 onwards. Solanum species of eastern and northern Australia. Version: 25th January 2023. delta-intkey.com’.
