| | Solanum species of eastern and northern Australia |
Habit. Erect. Rhizomatous perennial shrub. 1–3 m high.
Branchlets. Branchlets grey or brown. Branchlet prickles absent or present, 0–10 per decimetre, straight and acicular, 2–6 mm long, 10–18 times longer than wide, glabrous. Branchlet hairs stellate. Branchlet stellate hairs very dense, 0.4–0.6 mm diameter, stalks 0–0.2 mm long, lateral rays 6–13, lateral rays porrect or multiradiate, central ray 0.7–2 times as long as laterals, central ray not gland-tipped, rigid.
Leaves. Leaves lanceolate or ovate, 5–10 cm long, 2–4 cm wide, 2.1–3.2 times longer than broad, entire. Leaf apex acute or acuminate, base cuneate or obtuse, oblique part 0–1 mm long, obliqueness index 0–2 percent. Petioles 0.2–1.1 cm long, 4–11% length of lamina, prickles absent.
Upper leaf surface. Upper leaf surface green, prickles absent or present on midvein only, prickles 0–2, prickles straight and acicular, prickles 1–6 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 yellowish, prickles absent. Lower leaf surface stellate hairs dense, 0.1–0.25 mm apart, 0.4–0.6 mm diameter, stalks 0.15–0.25 mm long, lateral rays 6–8, lateral rays porrect, central ray 0.7–1.5 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 supra-axillary, solitary or sessile (rachis very short or absent), common peduncle absent or present, 1–2-flowered. Flowers 5-merous. Pedicels at anthesis 9 mm long, same thickness throughout, 0.4–0.5 mm thick at mid-point, prickles absent. Calyx prickles at anthesis absent. Calyx stellae moderate, transparent, 0.4 mm across, stalks 0–0.1 mm long, lateral rays 6–8, central ray 0.7–1.2 times as long as laterals, central ray not gland-tipped. Calyx simple hairs absent. Calyx short glandular hairs absent. Corolla 6–7 mm long, deeply lobed, inner surface glabrous. Anthers c. 5 mm long. Functional style c. 6 mm long, with short glandular hairs only.
Fruits. Fruiting calyx lobes less than half length of mature fruit, prickles absent. Mature fruits 1 per inflorescence, globular, 6.5 mm diameter, red, 1-locular (septum absent or incomplete), interior juicy, succulent, pedicels 15–20 mm long, pedicels 0.5–0.6 mm thick at mid-point. Seeds pale yellow, 3.5–4 mm long.
Distribution and habitat. Queensland. Qld: Cook, Kennedy North. Evergreen notophyll rainforest (no eucalypts).
Classification. Subg. Leptostemonum. Data source: specimens.
Illustrations. • holotype.
Cite this publication as: ‘Bean, A.R. 2012 onwards. Solanum species of eastern and northern Australia. Version: 25th January 2023. delta-intkey.com’.
