| | Solanum species of eastern and northern Australia |
Habit. Erect. Rhizomatous perennial shrub. 0.3–0.8 m high.
Branchlets. Branchlets grey or brown. Branchlet prickles 3–10 per decimetre, straight and acicular, 4–11 mm long, 9–13 times longer than wide, glabrous. Branchlet hairs absent. Branchlet stellate hairs absent.
Leaves. Leaves ovate or broadly ovate, 2–5.5 cm long, 0.9–2.5 cm wide, 1.5–2.9 times longer than broad, deeply lobed throughout, lobes 2–4 on each side, lobes acute or obtuse, lobing index 7–22. Leaf apex obtuse or acute, base cuneate or obtuse, oblique part 0–1.5 mm long, obliqueness index 0–5 percent. Petioles 0.3–1.2 cm long, 12–25% length of lamina, prickles absent or present.
Upper leaf surface. Upper leaf surface green, prickles absent or present on midvein only, prickles 0–4, prickles straight and acicular, prickles 1–7 mm long. Upper leaf surface stellate hairs absent, absent from surface. Upper leaf surface simple hairs absent. Upper leaf surface short glandular hairs present only in vein depressions.
Lower leaf surface. Lower leaf surface green, prickles absent or present on midvein only, prickles 0–4, prickles straight and acicular. Lower leaf surface stellate hairs absent. 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 0–2 mm long, rachis prickles absent, 2–5-flowered, with all flowers bisexual. Flowers 5-merous. Pedicels at anthesis 6–8 mm long, markedly thicker distally, 0.4–0.5 mm thick at mid-point, prickles absent. Calyx tube at anthesis 1–2 mm long. Calyx lobes at anthesis rostrate, 1–2.5 mm long. Calyx prickles at anthesis absent. Calyx stellae absent. Calyx simple hairs absent. Calyx short glandular hairs absent. Corolla mauve, 6–9 mm long, deeply lobed, inner surface glabrous. Anthers 2.5–4 mm long. Ovary with short glandular hairs only. Functional style 4–6.5 mm long, protruding between anthers, glabrous.
Fruits. Fruiting calyx lobes less than half length of mature fruit, prickles absent. Mature fruits 1 per inflorescence, globular, 7–9 mm diameter, red, 1-locular (septum absent or incomplete), placenta not apparent, interior juicy, succulent, pericarp 0.2–0.3 mm thick, pedicels 10–19 mm long, pedicels 0.5–1 mm thick at mid-point. Seeds pale yellow, 3–4.1 mm long.
Distribution and habitat. Queensland. Qld: Leichhardt, Port Curtis. Semi-evergreen vine thicket or brigalow/belah.
Classification. Subg. Leptostemonum. Data source: specimens.
Illustrations. • flowers and fruits. • leaves and fruits. • fruits. • leaves.
Cite this publication as: ‘Bean, A.R. 2012 onwards. Solanum species of eastern and northern Australia. Version: 25th January 2023. delta-intkey.com’.
