| | Solanum species of eastern and northern Australia |
Habit. Sprawling or erect. Rhizomatous perennial shrub. 0.2–0.6 m high.
Branchlets. Branchlets yellow or rusty or brown. Branchlet prickles 20–120 per decimetre, straight and acicular, 6–18 mm long, 8–20 times longer than wide, glabrous. Branchlet hairs stellate. Branchlet stellate hairs very dense, 0.4–0.55 mm diameter, stalks 0–0.1 mm long, lateral rays 7–8, lateral rays porrect or ascending, central ray 0.5–1.1 times as long as laterals, central ray not gland-tipped. Branchlet short glandular hairs absent.
Leaves. Leaves elliptical or ovate, 2.3–8.1 cm long, 1.3–4.1 cm wide, 1.6–3 times longer than broad, shallowly lobed throughout or deeply lobed throughout, lobes 2–5 on each side, lobes obtuse, lobing index 1.5–2.3. Leaf apex obtuse, base cuneate or obtuse or cordate, oblique part 0–7 mm long, obliqueness index 0–10 percent. Petioles 0.6–2.4 cm long, 15–37% length of lamina, prickles present.
Upper leaf surface. Upper leaf surface green or grey-green, prickles present on midvein only or present on midvein and lateral veins, prickles 2–18, prickles straight and acicular, prickles 3–16 mm long. Upper leaf surface stellate hairs distributed throughout, sparse or moderate density, 0.25–0.6 mm apart, 0.4–0.65 mm across, stalks 0–0.1 mm long, lateral rays 6–8, lateral rays porrect, central ray 0.5–1 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 yellowish or rusty, prickles present on midvein only or present on midvein and lateral veins, prickles 2–18, prickles straight and acicular. Lower leaf surface stellate hairs dense or very dense, 0.1–0.25 mm apart, 0.4–0.65 mm diameter, stalks 0–0.1 mm long, lateral rays 8, lateral rays porrect, central ray 0.5–1.1 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 leaf-opposed or supra-axillary, cymose (pseudo-racemose), common peduncle 7–17 mm long, rachis prickles absent or present, 3–5(–7)-flowered, with all flowers bisexual. Flowers 5-merous. Pedicels at anthesis 3.5–10 mm long, same thickness throughout, prickles present. Calyx tube at anthesis 2.5–3.5 mm long. Calyx lobes at anthesis attenuate, 5–10 mm long. Calyx prickles at anthesis present, 10–35 per flower, 3–8 mm long. Calyx stellae dense or very dense, white or transparent or purple or brown or rusty, 0.4–0.5 mm across, stalks 0–0.15 mm long, lateral rays 7–8, central ray 0.5–1 times as long as laterals, central ray not gland-tipped. Calyx simple hairs absent. Calyx short glandular hairs absent. Corolla purple, 14–20 mm long, rotate, outer surface lacking prickles, inner surface glabrous. Anthers 3.8–6 mm long. Filaments 1–2.2 mm long. Ovary glabrous or with short glandular hairs only. Functional style 7.5–10.5 mm long, erect near base, then bent towards apex or strongly bent near base, not touching anthers, glabrous or with short glandular hairs only.
Fruits. Fruiting calyx lobes more than half length of mature fruit or lobes exceeding mature fruit, prickles 3–5 mm long. Mature fruits 1–3 per inflorescence, globular, 13–15 mm diameter, yellow or yellowish-green or white, interior dry, pericarp 1–1.5 mm thick, pedicels 7–10 mm long. Seeds pale yellow, 1.2–1.5 mm long.
Distribution and habitat. New South Wales, South Australia, Western Australia. NSW: North Far Western Plains, South Far Western Plains. Shrublands in arid zone.
Classification. Subg. Leptostemonum. Common name: Rock Nightshade. Data source: specimens.
Illustrations. • flowering plant. • flowering plant.
Cite this publication as: ‘Bean, A.R. 2012 onwards. Solanum species of eastern and northern Australia. Version: 25th January 2023. delta-intkey.com’.
