| | Solanum species of eastern and northern Australia |
Habit. Erect. Rhizomatous perennial shrub. 1–3.5 m high.
Branchlets. Branchlets mauve to purple or brown. Branchlet prickles 5–55 per decimetre, straight and acicular, 2–9 mm long, 10–14 times longer than wide, glabrous. Branchlet hairs stellate. Branchlet stellate hairs sparse to moderate, 0.4–0.5 mm diameter, stalks 0–0.1 mm long, lateral rays 4–8, lateral rays porrect, central ray absent or present, central ray 0–0.5 times as long as laterals, central ray not gland-tipped, rigid.
Leaves. Leaves elliptical or ovate, 9.5–19 cm long, 3.5–7.5 cm wide, 2.3–2.7 times longer than broad, shallowly lobed throughout, lobes 3–5 on each side, lobes acute, lobing index 1.1–1.8. Leaf apex acute or acuminate, base cuneate or obtuse, oblique part 0–18 mm long, obliqueness index 0–9 percent. Petioles 1.1–2.2 cm long, 10–22% length of lamina, prickles absent.
Upper leaf surface. Upper leaf surface green, prickles present on midvein and lateral veins, prickles 8–40, prickles straight and acicular, prickles 3–11 mm long. Upper leaf surface stellate hairs distributed throughout, protostellae present, very sparse to sparse, 0.8–1.4 mm apart, 0.4–0.5 mm across, stalks 0 mm long, lateral rays 4–8, lateral rays porrect, central ray 0.5–1.5 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, prickles absent or present on midvein only or present on midvein and lateral veins, prickles 0–9, prickles straight and acicular. Lower leaf surface stellate hairs sparse to moderate, 0.5–1.3 mm apart, 0.3–0.5 mm diameter, stalks 0 mm long, lateral rays 4–8, lateral rays porrect, central ray 0.3–1 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 supra-axillary, cymose (pseudo-racemose), common peduncle absent, rachis prickles absent, 4–13-flowered, with some bisexual and some male flowers. Flowers 5-merous. Pedicels at anthesis 7–24 mm long, same thickness throughout or markedly thicker distally, 0.5–1 mm thick at mid-point, prickles absent. Calyx tube at anthesis 1–3 mm long. Calyx lobes at anthesis attenuate, 4–9 mm long. Calyx prickles at anthesis absent. Calyx stellae very sparse to sparse to moderate, yellow, 0.15–0.25 mm across, stalks 0 mm long, lateral rays 5–8, central ray 0.5–1.5 times as long as laterals, central ray not gland-tipped. Calyx simple hairs present. Calyx short glandular hairs absent. Corolla white or mauve or purple, 8–15 mm long, shallowly lobed or deeply lobed, inner surface glabrous. Anthers 4.5–6 mm long. Ovary with short glandular hairs only. Functional style 7.5–8.5 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 1–4 per inflorescence, globular or ellipsoidal or ovoid, 11–15 mm diameter, red, 1-locular (septum absent or incomplete), placenta not apparent, interior juicy, succulent, pericarp 0.4–0.5 mm thick, pedicels 26–38 mm long, pedicels 0.6–2 mm thick at mid-point. Seeds pale yellow, 2.6–3.4 mm long.
Distribution and habitat. Queensland, New South Wales. Qld: Moreton. NSW: North Coast. Evergreen notophyll rainforest (no eucalypts).
Classification. Subg. Leptostemonum. Common name: Gin's Whiskers. Data source: specimens.
Illustrations. • fruits. • buds and open flower. • mature fruits. • flowering branch.
Cite this publication as: ‘Bean, A.R. 2012 onwards. Solanum species of eastern and northern Australia. Version: 25th January 2023. delta-intkey.com’.
