| | Solanum species of eastern and northern Australia |
Habit. Erect. Rhizomatous perennial shrub. 0.5–2 m high.
Branchlets. Branchlets yellow or brown. Branchlet prickles absent or present, 0–10 per decimetre, straight and acicular, 1–6 mm long, 10–16 times longer than wide, glabrous. Branchlet hairs stellate. Branchlet stellate hairs sparse to moderate or dense or very dense, 0.2–0.4 mm diameter, stalks 0–0.1 mm long, lateral rays 7–13, lateral rays porrect or multiradiate, central ray absent or present, central ray 0.2–1 times as long as laterals, central ray not gland-tipped, thready or rigid.
Leaves. Leaves lanceolate or elliptical or ovate, 7–13 cm long, 1.6–6 cm wide, 2–4.3 times longer than broad, entire or shallowly lobed throughout, lobes 0 on each side or 3–6 on each side, lobes acute or obtuse, lobing index 1–1.4. Leaf apex acute or acuminate, base cuneate, oblique part 0–3 mm long, obliqueness index 0–4 percent. Petioles 0.4–2.2 cm long, 4–17% length of lamina, prickles absent.
Upper leaf surface. Upper leaf surface green, prickles absent or present on midvein only or present on midvein and lateral veins, prickles 0–7, prickles straight and acicular, prickles 3–5 mm long. Upper leaf surface stellate hairs absent or confined to midrib, absent from surface. 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 or yellowish, prickles absent. Lower leaf surface stellate hairs dense or very dense, 0.05–0.3 mm apart, 0.3–0.5 mm diameter, stalks 0–0.1 mm long, lateral rays 7–9, lateral rays porrect, central ray 0.1–0.5 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 leaf-opposed or supra-axillary, cymose (pseudo-racemose), common peduncle absent or present, common peduncle 0–12 mm long, rachis prickles absent, 5–35-flowered, with one bisexual flower, the rest male or some bisexual and some male flowers. Flowers 5-merous. Pedicels at anthesis 2–10 mm long, same thickness throughout, 0.2–0.4 mm thick at mid-point, prickles absent. Calyx tube at anthesis 0.5–2.5 mm long. Calyx lobes at anthesis deltate or attenuate, 0.5–3 mm long. Calyx prickles at anthesis absent. Calyx stellae moderate or dense or very dense, white or transparent, 0.2–0.4 mm across, stalks 0 mm long, lateral rays 5–8, central ray 0.5–1.5 times as long as laterals, central ray not gland-tipped. Calyx simple hairs absent. Calyx short glandular hairs absent. Corolla white or mauve, 3–8 mm long, deeply lobed, inner surface glabrous. Anthers 2.5–5 mm long. Ovary glabrous. Functional style 4.5–5 mm long, protruding between anthers, glabrous or with stellate hairs only, stellae 0.2–0.25 mm across, stellae lateral rays 6–9, stellae central ray 0.7–1.5 times as long as laterals.
Fruits. Fruiting calyx lobes less than half length of mature fruit, prickles absent. Mature fruits 1–2 per inflorescence, globular, 10–15 mm diameter, red, 1-locular (septum absent or incomplete), placenta not apparent, interior juicy, succulent, pericarp 0.4–0.7 mm thick, pedicels 13–24 mm long, pedicels 0.5–0.8 mm thick at mid-point. Seeds pale yellow, 2.6–3.9 mm long.
Distribution and habitat. Queensland. Qld: Cook. Semi-deciduous vine forest on sand, laterite or granite.
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’.