| | Solanum species of eastern and northern Australia |
Habit. Erect. Rhizomatous perennial shrub. 0.5–1.5 m high.
Branchlets. Branchlets white or grey. Branchlet hairs stellate. Branchlet stellate hairs very dense.
Leaves. Leaves ovate or broadly ovate, 9–13 cm long, 7–11 cm wide, shallowly lobed throughout, lobes 3–5 on each side, lobes obtuse. Leaf apex obtuse, base obtuse or cordate. Petioles 1.5–2.5 cm long, prickles absent or present.
Upper leaf surface. Upper leaf surface grey-green, prickles present on midvein only or present on midvein and lateral veins. Upper leaf surface stellate hairs distributed throughout, very sparse to moderate density, central ray not gland-tipped. Upper leaf surface simple hairs absent.
Lower leaf surface. Lower leaf surface white to grey. Lower leaf surface stellate hairs very dense, 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, 2–10-flowered, with one bisexual flower, the rest male or some bisexual and some male flowers. Flowers 5–6-merous. Flowers markedly dimorphic, with larger pricklier basal flower(s). Pedicels at anthesis 20–25 mm long. Calyx prickles on basal bisexual flowers 40–60. Calyx prickles on distal male flowers 0–15. Calyx prickles at anthesis absent or present, 0–60 per flower. Calyx stellae very dense, central ray not gland-tipped. Calyx simple hairs absent. Calyx short glandular hairs absent. Corolla white or mauve, 15–20 mm long, rotate, inner surface sparsely stellate-hairy or densely stellate-hairy. Anthers 6–7 mm long. Ovary with stellate hairs only. Functional style 10 mm long, protruding between anthers, with stellate hairs only.
Fruits. Mature fruits 1–3 per inflorescence, globular, 30–40 mm diameter, yellow or yellowish-green, pedicels 25 mm long. Seeds pale yellow or black, 2–2.5 mm long.
Distribution and habitat. Victoria, Tasmania.
Classification. Naturalised. Subg. Leptostemonum. Data source: Symon 1981 & Fl of Vic.
Cite this publication as: ‘Bean, A.R. 2012 onwards. Solanum species of eastern and northern Australia. Version: 25th January 2023. delta-intkey.com’.