| | Solanum species of eastern and northern Australia |
Habit. Erect. Rhizomatous perennial shrub. 0.4–1.1 m high.
Branchlets. Branchlets grey or brown or green. Branchlet prickles 15–30 per decimetre, straight and acicular, 5–9 mm long, 13–18 times longer than wide, glabrous. Branchlet hairs short glandular or stellate. Branchlet stellate hairs sparse to moderate, 0.25–0.5 mm diameter, stalks 0 mm long, lateral rays 4–7, lateral rays porrect, central ray 0.5–1 times as long as laterals, central ray not gland-tipped. Branchlet short glandular hairs sparse.
Leaves. Leaves narrow lanceolate or lanceolate, 1.5–4.5 cm long, 0.3–0.8 cm wide, 4.5–7.5 times longer than broad, entire or shallowly lobed throughout or with basal lobes only, lobes 0–2 on each side, lobes obtuse, lobing index 1–1.2. Leaf apex obtuse or acute, base cuneate or hastate, oblique part 0–2.5 mm long, obliqueness index 0–6 percent. Petioles 0.3–0.6 cm long, 8–16% length of lamina, prickles absent.
Upper leaf surface. Upper leaf surface green, prickles present on midvein only, prickles 2–6, prickles straight and acicular, prickles 4–6 mm long. Upper leaf surface stellate hairs confined to midrib or distributed throughout, protostellae absent, very sparse to sparse, 0.8–2.5 mm apart, 0.35–0.5 mm across, stalks 0 mm long, lateral rays 4–7, lateral rays porrect, central ray 1.5–3 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, prickles 0–3, prickles straight and acicular. Lower leaf surface stellate hairs very sparse to moderate, 0.3–2 mm apart, 0.3–0.7 mm diameter, stalks 0 mm long, lateral rays 6–8, lateral rays porrect, central ray 1.5–3 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, solitary or sessile (rachis very short or absent), common peduncle absent or present, 1–3-flowered, with all flowers bisexual. Flowers 5-merous. Pedicels at anthesis 8–18 mm long, same thickness throughout, c. 0.3 mm thick at mid-point, prickles absent or present. Calyx tube at anthesis 1.5–2 mm long. Calyx lobes at anthesis attenuate, 1.5–2.5 mm long. Calyx prickles at anthesis absent. Calyx stellae very sparse to sparse to moderate, transparent, 0.2–0.4 mm across, stalks 0 mm long, lateral rays 6–8, central ray 0.8–1.5 times as long as laterals, central ray not gland-tipped. Calyx simple hairs absent. Calyx short glandular hairs absent. Corolla mauve, 6–8 mm long, deeply lobed, inner surface glabrous. Anthers 3–4.5 mm long. Ovary with short glandular hairs only. Functional style 4–6 mm long, protruding between anthers, with short glandular hairs only.
Fruits. Fruiting calyx lobes less than half length of mature fruit, prickles absent. Mature fruits 1 per inflorescence, globular, 4–6.5 mm diameter, red, glabrous or with a few scattered short glandular hairs, 1-locular (septum absent or incomplete), placenta not apparent, interior juicy, succulent, pericarp 0.2–0.3 mm thick, pedicels 14–24 mm long, pedicels 0.5–0.6 mm thick at mid-point. Seeds pale yellow, 1.6–2.3 mm long.
Distribution and habitat. Queensland. Qld: Darling Downs, Burnett, Leichhardt. Semi-evergreen vine thicket or brigalow/belah, lancewood communities (dominated by Acacia catenulata, shirleyi, burrowii, etc.).
Classification. Subg. Leptostemonum. Data source: specimens.
Illustrations. • leaves and fruits.
Cite this publication as: ‘Bean, A.R. 2012 onwards. Solanum species of eastern and northern Australia. Version: 25th January 2023. delta-intkey.com’.
