| | Solanum species of eastern and northern Australia |
Habit. Sprawling or erect. Rhizomatous perennial shrub. 0.1–0.4 m high.
Branchlets. Branchlets white or grey or brown. Branchlet prickles 15–50 per decimetre, straight and acicular, 7–10 mm long, 11–14 times longer than wide, glabrous. Branchlet hairs stellate. Branchlet stellate hairs very dense, 0.15–0.3 mm diameter, stalks 0 mm long, lateral rays 10–15, lateral rays porrect, central ray absent or present, central ray 0–0.3 times as long as laterals, central ray not gland-tipped.
Leaves. Leaves elliptical or ovate, 0.5–2.1 cm long, 0.3–1.1 cm wide, 1.7–2.5 times longer than broad, entire. Leaf apex obtuse, base cuneate, oblique part 0–0.3 mm long, obliqueness index 0–3 percent. Petioles 0.1–0.3 cm long, 18–35% length of lamina, winged, prickles absent.
Upper leaf surface. Upper leaf surface green or grey-green, prickles absent or present on midvein only, prickles 0–2, prickles straight and acicular, prickles 2–7 mm long. Upper leaf surface stellate hairs absent or confined to midrib or distributed throughout, protostellae absent, absent from surface to dense, 0.3–0.9 mm apart, 0.15–0.25 mm across, stalks 0 mm long, lateral rays 8–10, lateral rays porrect, central ray 0–0.2 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 green or greenish-white or white to grey or yellowish, prickles absent. Lower leaf surface stellate hairs very sparse to dense, 0.1–0.4 mm apart, 0.15–0.3 mm diameter, stalks 0 mm long, lateral rays 8–16, lateral rays porrect, central ray 0–0.1 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, solitary or sessile (rachis very short or absent) or cymose (pseudo-racemose), common peduncle absent or present, common peduncle 0–1 mm long, rachis prickles absent, 1–2-flowered, with all flowers bisexual. Flowers 5-merous. Pedicels at anthesis 3–15 mm long, same thickness throughout, 0.5–0.8 mm thick at mid-point, prickles absent. Calyx tube at anthesis 2–2.5 mm long. Calyx lobes at anthesis deltate, 1–2.5 mm long. Calyx prickles at anthesis absent. Calyx stellae very sparse to sparse to dense, white, 0.2–0.3 mm across, stalks 0 mm long, lateral rays 8–12, central ray 0–0.3 times as long as laterals, central ray not gland-tipped. Calyx simple hairs absent. Calyx short glandular hairs absent. Corolla mauve or purple, 7–10 mm long, deeply lobed, inner surface glabrous. Anthers 4–5 mm long. Ovary with short glandular hairs only. Functional style 6–6.5 mm long, protruding between anthers, glabrous or with short glandular hairs only.
Fruits. Fruiting calyx lobes less than half length of mature fruit, prickles absent. Mature fruits 1 per inflorescence, globular, 12–14 mm diameter, yellowish-green or green, often streaked, 2-locular, placenta sessile, semi-circular, interior moist but not juicy, pericarp 1.2–1.8 mm thick, pedicels 6–15 mm long, pedicels 0.6–0.9 mm thick at mid-point. Seeds pale yellow or black, 2.9–3.7 mm long.
Distribution and habitat. Queensland. Qld: Leichhardt. Semi-evergreen vine thicket or brigalow/belah.
Classification. Subg. Leptostemonum. Data source: specimens.
Illustrations. • fallen fruit. • flowering branches. • flowers.
Cite this publication as: ‘Bean, A.R. 2012 onwards. Solanum species of eastern and northern Australia. Version: 25th January 2023. delta-intkey.com’.
