| | Solanum species of eastern and northern Australia |
Habit. Erect. Rhizomatous perennial shrub. 1–1.5 m high.
Branchlets. Branchlets terete or ridged. Branchlets white or yellow or brown. Branchlet prickles 200–1000 per decimetre, straight and acicular, 1.5–12 mm long, 9–18 times longer than wide, glabrous. Branchlet hairs stellate. Branchlet stellate hairs dense or very dense, 0.25–0.4 mm diameter, stalks 0–0.1 mm long, lateral rays 8–16, lateral rays porrect or ascending, central ray 0.2–0.6 times as long as laterals, central ray not gland-tipped. Branchlet short glandular hairs absent.
Leaves. Leaves narrow lanceolate or lanceolate, 3.5–12.5 cm long, 0.9–2 cm wide, 3.7–6.5 times longer than broad, entire or shallowly lobed throughout, lobes 3–5 on each side, lobes obtuse, lobing index 1–1.1. Leaf apex acute, base cuneate or obtuse, oblique part 0–4 mm long, obliqueness index 0–6 percent. Petioles 0.6–2.2 cm long, 14–22% length of lamina, prickles present.
Upper leaf surface. Upper leaf surface green or grey-green, prickles present on midvein and lateral veins, prickles 10–60, prickles straight and acicular, prickles 1.5–9 mm long. Upper leaf surface stellate hairs distributed throughout, protostellae present, sparse or moderate density or dense, 0.15–0.4 mm apart, 0.15–0.3 mm across, stalks 0 mm long, lateral rays 8–13, lateral rays porrect, central ray 0.2–0.4 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 and lateral veins, prickles 40–70, prickles straight and acicular. Lower leaf surface stellate hairs moderate or dense or very dense, 0.1–0.3 mm apart, 0.2–0.4 mm diameter, stalks 0 mm long, lateral rays 8–13, lateral rays porrect, central ray 0.2–0.5 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, cymose (pseudo-racemose), common peduncle 4–11 mm long, rachis prickles present, 8–17-flowered, with some bisexual and some male flowers. Flowers 5-merous. Pedicels at anthesis 2.5–9 mm long, same thickness throughout, 0.5–0.7 mm thick at mid-point, prickles absent or present. Calyx tube at anthesis 2–3.5 mm long. Calyx lobes at anthesis hemispherical or deltate, 1–3 mm long. Calyx prickles at anthesis absent or present, 0–5 per flower, 1–2.5 mm long. Calyx stellae very dense, yellow or white or purple, 0.2–0.25 mm across, stalks 0–0.05 mm long, lateral rays 8–12, central ray 0.4–0.7 times as long as laterals, central ray not gland-tipped. Calyx simple hairs absent. Calyx short glandular hairs absent. Corolla mauve or purple, 13–17 mm long, rotate, inner surface glabrous. Anthers 5–7.5 mm long. Filaments 0.8–1.8 mm long. Ovary with short glandular hairs only. Functional style 7–12 mm long, protruding between anthers, with short glandular hairs only.
Fruits. Fruiting calyx lobes less than half length of mature fruit or lobes more than half length of mature fruit, prickles absent or present. Mature fruits 1–4 per inflorescence, globular, 13 mm diameter, black, 1-locular (septum absent or incomplete), placenta sessile, linear, interior moist but not juicy, pericarp 0.1–0.3 mm thick, pedicels 6–9 mm long. Seeds brown, 2.5–3 mm long.
Distribution and habitat. Western Australia. 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’.