| | Solanum species of eastern and northern Australia |
Habit. Erect. Rhizomatous perennial shrub. 0.5–2 m high.
Branchlets. Branchlets yellow or rusty or brown. Branchlet prickles 180–760 per decimetre, straight and acicular, 2–9 mm long, 11–15 times longer than wide, glabrous. Branchlet hairs stellate. Branchlet stellate hairs very dense, 0.55–0.8 mm diameter, stalks 0–0.3 mm long, lateral rays 7–8, lateral rays porrect or ascending, central ray 0.8–1.2 times as long as laterals, central ray not gland-tipped. Branchlet short glandular hairs absent.
Leaves. Leaves elliptical or ovate, 4.1–11.8 cm long, 1.4–4.5 cm wide, 1.4–3.3 times longer than broad, entire or shallowly lobed throughout, lobes 0–7 on each side, lobes obtuse, lobing index 1–1.2. Leaf apex obtuse or acute, base cuneate or obtuse or cordate, oblique part 2–6 mm long, obliqueness index 3–7 percent. Petioles 1.2–3 cm long, 21–32% length of lamina, prickles present.
Upper leaf surface. Upper leaf surface grey, prickles present on midvein only, prickles 3–21, prickles straight and acicular, prickles 4–7 mm long. Upper leaf surface stellate hairs distributed throughout, very dense, 0.05 mm apart, 0.6–0.8 mm across, stalks 0–0.1 mm long, lateral rays 7–8, lateral rays porrect or ascending, central ray 0.8–1.2 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, prickles present on midvein only or present on midvein and lateral veins, prickles 3–21, prickles straight and acicular. Lower leaf surface stellate hairs very dense, 0.05 mm apart, 0.5–0.7 mm diameter, stalks 0–0.2 mm long, lateral rays 7–8, lateral rays porrect or ascending, central ray 0.7–1.2 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 10–21 mm long, rachis prickles present, 8–15-flowered, with all flowers bisexual. Flowers 5-merous. Pedicels at anthesis 1–5(–9) mm long, same thickness throughout, prickles absent or present. Calyx tube at anthesis 2–4 mm long. Calyx lobes at anthesis attenuate, 5–9 mm long. Calyx prickles at anthesis present, 75–140 per flower, 0.5–4.5 mm long. Calyx stellae very dense, white or transparent, 0.55–0.7 mm across, stalks 0–0.3 mm long, lateral rays 7–8, central ray 0.8–1.2 times as long as laterals, central ray not gland-tipped. Calyx simple hairs absent. Calyx short glandular hairs absent. Corolla purple, 16–23 mm long, rotate, outer surface with prickles, prickles 5–25, inner surface glabrous. Anthers 5–6.2 mm long. Filaments 0.9–1 mm long. Ovary with short glandular hairs only. Functional style 11.5–13 mm long, erect near base, then bent towards apex, glabrous or with short glandular hairs only.
Fruits. Fruiting calyx lobes exceeding mature fruit, prickles 1.5–5 mm long. Mature fruits 3–6 per inflorescence, globular, 12–14 mm diameter, yellow or white, pericarp 2 mm thick, pedicels 2–8 mm long.
Distribution and habitat. South Australia, Northern Territory. Red earths in mulga (Acacia aneura) dominated communities, shrublands in arid zone.
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’.