| | Solanum species of eastern and northern Australia |
Habit. Sprawling or erect. Rhizomatous perennial shrub. 0.3–0.6 m high.
Branchlets. Branchlets white or grey or brown. Branchlet prickles 60–260 per decimetre, straight and acicular, 1–9 mm long, 10–18 times longer than wide, glabrous or with stellate hairs only at base, with 3–8 stellate hairs. Branchlet hairs stellate. Branchlet stellate hairs very dense, 0.5–0.7 mm diameter, stalks 0–0.3 mm long, lateral rays 8–25, lateral rays porrect or ascending or 2–3-tiered, central ray 1.2–1.8 times as long as laterals, central ray not gland-tipped. Branchlet short glandular hairs absent.
Leaves. Leaves ovate or broadly ovate, 3.5–9 cm long, 1.6–5 cm wide, 1.6–2.4 times longer than broad, shallowly lobed throughout, lobes 4–7 on each side, lobes obtuse, lobing index 1.2–1.8. Leaf apex obtuse, base obtuse, oblique part 2–4 mm long, obliqueness index 3–6 percent. Petioles 0.9–3.3 cm long, 23–42% length of lamina, prickles present.
Upper leaf surface. Upper leaf surface grey-green or grey, prickles present on midvein and lateral veins, prickles 8–16, prickles straight and acicular, prickles 1–8.5 mm long. Upper leaf surface stellate hairs distributed throughout, moderate density or dense or very dense, 0.05–0.4 mm apart, 0.4–0.7 mm across, stalks 0–0.2 mm long, lateral rays 6–18, lateral rays porrect or ascending or 2–3-tiered, central ray 1–2 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 or silvery, prickles present on midvein and lateral veins, prickles 8–25, prickles straight and acicular. Lower leaf surface stellate hairs dense or very dense, 0.05–0.25 mm apart, 0.5–0.8 mm diameter, stalks 0–0.4 mm long, lateral rays 8–23, lateral rays porrect or ascending or 2–3-tiered, central ray 1–2 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 15–28 mm long, rachis prickles present, 1–5-flowered, with all flowers bisexual. Flowers 5-merous. Pedicels at anthesis 1–4.5 mm long, same thickness throughout, prickles absent or present. Calyx tube at anthesis 1.5–3.5 mm long. Calyx lobes at anthesis attenuate, 3–10 mm long. Calyx prickles at anthesis present, 15–100 per flower, 1–6 mm long. Calyx stellae very dense, white or transparent, 0.5–0.6 mm across, stalks 0–0.3 mm long, lateral rays 8–18, central ray 1–1.5 times as long as laterals, central ray not gland-tipped. Calyx simple hairs absent. Calyx short glandular hairs absent. Corolla purple, 9–18 mm long, rotate, outer surface with prickles or outer surface lacking prickles, prickles 0–15, inner surface glabrous. Anthers 3.3–4 mm long. Filaments 0.5–1.2 mm long. Ovary with short glandular hairs only. Functional style 7.5–10 mm long, erect near base, then bent towards apex, glabrous or with short glandular hairs only.
Fruits. Fruiting calyx lobes more than half length of mature fruit or lobes exceeding mature fruit, prickles 1–5 mm long. Mature fruits 1–3 per inflorescence, globular, 10–14 mm diameter, yellow or white, interior dry, pericarp 1–2.5 mm thick, pedicels 2.5–8 mm long. Seeds pale yellow, 1.4 mm long.
Distribution and habitat. South Australia, Northern Territory, 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’.