| | Solanum species of eastern and northern Australia |
Habit. Erect. Rhizomatous perennial shrub. 0.2–0.7 m high.
Branchlets. Branchlets terete or ridged. Branchlets grey or mauve to purple or yellow or rusty or brown. Branchlet prickles 90–280 per decimetre, straight and acicular, 2–9 mm long, 15–18 times longer than wide, glabrous. Branchlet hairs stellate. Branchlet stellate hairs very dense, 0.5–0.7 mm diameter, stalks 0–0.3 mm long, lateral rays 6–8, lateral rays porrect or ascending, central ray 1–1.5 times as long as laterals, central ray not gland-tipped. Branchlet short glandular hairs absent.
Leaves. Leaves elliptical, 3.7–7.2 cm long, 1.4–3.4 cm wide, 2.1–3.1 times longer than broad, shallowly lobed throughout or deeply lobed throughout, lobes 4–6 on each side, lobes acute or obtuse, lobing index 1.2–2.5. Leaf apex obtuse or acute, base cuneate or obtuse or cordate, oblique part 1.5–8 mm long, obliqueness index 3–13 percent. Petioles 0.8–2.1 cm long, 14–35% length of lamina, prickles present.
Upper leaf surface. Upper leaf surface green or grey-green or grey, prickles present on midvein only or present on midvein and lateral veins, prickles 6–23, prickles straight and acicular, prickles 2–11 mm long. Upper leaf surface stellate hairs distributed throughout, moderate density or dense or very dense, 0.05–0.4 mm apart, 0.5–0.75 mm across, stalks 0–0.2 mm long, lateral rays 7–8, lateral rays porrect or ascending, central ray 0.8–1.5 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 greenish-white or white to grey, prickles present on midvein and lateral veins, prickles 16–36, prickles straight and acicular. Lower leaf surface stellate hairs dense or very dense, 0.05–0.2 mm apart, 0.65–0.8 mm diameter, stalks 0–0.3 mm long, lateral rays 7–8(–13), lateral rays porrect or ascending or 2–3-tiered, central ray 0.8–1.5 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 15–39 mm long, rachis prickles present, 2–9-flowered, with all flowers bisexual. Flowers 5-merous. Pedicels at anthesis 2.5–9 mm long, same thickness throughout, prickles absent or present. Calyx tube at anthesis 2–4 mm long. Calyx lobes at anthesis attenuate, 6–11 mm long. Calyx prickles at anthesis present, (35–)40–90 per flower, 1–5.5 mm long. Calyx stellae dense or very dense, white or transparent, 0.55–0.7 mm across, stalks 0–0.2 mm long, lateral rays 7–8, central ray 0.8–1.2 times as long as laterals, central ray not gland-tipped. Calyx simple hairs absent. Calyx short glandular hairs absent. Corolla purple, 17–26 mm long, rotate, outer surface with prickles or outer surface lacking prickles, prickles 0–25, inner surface glabrous. Anthers 4.9–6.1 mm long. Filaments 1–1.5 mm long. Ovary glabrous. Functional style 11–12 mm long, erect near base, then bent towards apex, glabrous.
Fruits. Fruiting calyx lobes exceeding mature fruit, prickles 2.5–6.5 mm long. Mature fruits 1–6 per inflorescence, globular, 14 mm diameter, yellow or white, interior dry, pericarp 1–1.5 mm thick, pedicels 8–10 mm long.
Distribution and habitat. South Australia, Northern Territory. 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’.