| | Solanum species of eastern and northern Australia |
Habit. Erect. Rhizomatous perennial shrub. 0.3–0.5 m high.
Branchlets. Branchlets yellow or rusty. Branchlet prickles 180–420 per decimetre, straight and acicular, 2–11 mm long, 11–15 times longer than wide, with stellate hairs throughout lower part. Branchlet hairs stellate. Branchlet stellate hairs very dense, 0.9–1.2 mm diameter, stalks 0–1 mm long, lateral rays 6–8, lateral rays porrect or ascending, central ray 1–1.7 times as long as laterals, central ray not gland-tipped, thready.
Leaves. Leaves ovate or broadly ovate, 5–9.5 cm long, 2.8–5.5 cm wide, 1.6–2 times longer than broad, entire. Leaf apex obtuse or acute or acuminate, base obtuse or cordate, oblique part 0–3 mm long, obliqueness index 0–6 percent. Petioles 1.1–4.4 cm long, 20–45% length of lamina, prickles present.
Upper leaf surface. Upper leaf surface grey-green, prickles present on midvein only or present on midvein and lateral veins, prickles 3–35, prickles straight and acicular, prickles 1–5 mm long. Upper leaf surface stellate hairs distributed throughout, protostellae present, dense, 0.2–0.4 mm apart, 0.8–1.2 mm across, stalks 0.1–0.9 mm long, lateral rays 7–8, lateral rays porrect or ascending, central ray 1–1.7 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 white to grey or yellowish, prickles present on midvein only or present on midvein and lateral veins, prickles 5–20, prickles straight and acicular. Lower leaf surface stellate hairs dense to very dense, 0.05–0.25 mm apart, 0.7–1.2 mm diameter, stalks 0–1 mm long, lateral rays 6–8, lateral rays porrect or ascending, central ray 1–1.7 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 absent or present, common peduncle 0–25 mm long, rachis prickles present, 3–5-flowered. Flowers 5-merous. Pedicels at anthesis 4–6 mm long, same thickness throughout, 0.9–1.2 mm thick at mid-point, prickles present. Calyx tube at anthesis 1.5–2 mm long. Calyx lobes at anthesis attenuate, 3–5.5 mm long. Calyx prickles at anthesis present, 50–70 per flower, 2–6 mm long. Calyx stellae very dense, yellow or white, 0.7–0.9 mm across, stalks 0–0.7 mm long, lateral rays 7–8, central ray 1–1.7 times as long as laterals, central ray not gland-tipped. Calyx simple hairs absent. Calyx short glandular hairs absent. Corolla purple, 8–10 mm long, shallowly lobed, inner surface glabrous. Anthers c. 3.8 mm long. Ovary with short glandular hairs only. Functional style c. 5.8 mm long, protruding between anthers, with short glandular hairs only.
Fruits. Fruiting calyx lobes more than half length of mature fruit, prickles 3–6 mm long. Mature fruits 1–2 per inflorescence, globular, 15 mm diameter, yellowish-green or green, often streaked, interior moist but not juicy, pedicels 8.5 mm long, pedicels 1.5–1.8 mm thick at mid-point.
Distribution and habitat. Queensland. Qld: Cook, Kennedy South. Shrubby eucalypt woodland, remote from rainforest.
Classification. Subg. Leptostemonum. Data source: specimens.
Illustrations. • type specimen.
Cite this publication as: ‘Bean, A.R. 2012 onwards. Solanum species of eastern and northern Australia. Version: 25th January 2023. delta-intkey.com’.
