| | Solanum species of eastern and northern Australia |
Habit. Erect. Rhizomatous perennial shrub. 1–2 m high.
Branchlets. Branchlets yellow or brown. Branchlet prickles 3–20 per decimetre, straight and acicular, 3–5 mm long, 13–16 times longer than wide, glabrous. Branchlet hairs stellate. Branchlet stellate hairs dense to very dense, 0.3–0.4 mm diameter, stalks 0 mm long, lateral rays 7–8, lateral rays porrect, central ray 2–6 times as long as laterals, central ray not gland-tipped.
Leaves. Leaves lanceolate or elliptical or ovate, 7.5–14 cm long, 2–4.5 cm wide, 2.5–5.2 times longer than broad, entire or shallowly lobed throughout, lobes 0 on each side or 3–4 on each side, lobes obtuse, lobing index 1–1.2. Leaf apex acute, base cuneate, oblique part 0–4 mm long, obliqueness index 0–4 percent. Petioles 0.4–0.8 cm long, 3–7% length of lamina, prickles absent.
Upper leaf surface. Upper leaf surface green, prickles absent. 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 or rusty, prickles absent. Lower leaf surface stellate hairs dense, 0.1–0.2 mm apart, 0.4–0.5 mm diameter, stalks 0 mm long, lateral rays 7–8, lateral rays porrect, central ray 3–6 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 absent or present, common peduncle 0–3 mm long, rachis prickles absent, 7–20-flowered, with all flowers bisexual. Flowers 5-merous. Pedicels at anthesis 4–7 mm long, same thickness throughout, 0.25–0.4 mm thick at mid-point, prickles absent. Calyx tube at anthesis 1.5–2 mm long. Calyx lobes at anthesis deltate, 0.5–1.2 mm long. Calyx prickles at anthesis absent. Calyx stellae dense to very dense, yellow or white, 0.2–0.3 mm across, stalks 0 mm long, lateral rays 5–7, central ray 2–3 times as long as laterals, central ray not gland-tipped. Calyx simple hairs absent. Calyx short glandular hairs absent. Corolla mauve, 5–7 mm long, deeply lobed, inner surface glabrous. Anthers 3–4.5 mm long. Ovary with stellate hairs only. Functional style 5–7 mm long, protruding between anthers, with stellate hairs only, stellae 0.2–0.4 mm across, stellae lateral rays 5–7, stellae central ray 0.5–1 times as long as laterals.
Fruits. Fruiting calyx lobes less than half length of mature fruit, prickles absent. Mature fruits 1–3 per inflorescence, globular, 9–12 mm diameter, red, 1-locular (septum absent or incomplete), placenta not apparent, interior juicy, succulent, pericarp 0.8 mm thick, pedicels 15–23 mm long, pedicels 0.5–0.8 mm thick at mid-point. Seeds pale yellow, 2.6–3.3 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’.