| | Solanum species of eastern and northern Australia |
Habit. Erect. Rhizomatous perennial shrub. 0.6–1.5 m high.
Branchlets. Branchlets white or grey or brown. Branchlet prickles 6–27 per decimetre, straight and acicular or straight, broad-based, 2–6 mm long, 6–18 times longer than wide, glabrous. Branchlet hairs stellate. Branchlet stellate hairs very dense, 0.25–0.4 mm diameter, stalks 0 mm long, lateral rays 10–15, lateral rays porrect, central ray absent or present, central ray 0–0.7 times as long as laterals, central ray not gland-tipped. Branchlet short glandular hairs absent.
Leaves. Leaves linear or lanceolate or elliptical, 1–7 cm long, 0.3–1.9 cm wide, 3.2–11.8 times longer than broad, entire or shallowly lobed throughout, lobes 0–3 on each side, lobes obtuse, lobing index 1–1.1. Leaf apex obtuse or acute, base cuneate or hastate, oblique part 0–1 mm long, obliqueness index 0–4 percent. Petioles 0.2–1.4 cm long, 12–21% length of lamina, prickles absent or present.
Upper leaf surface. Upper leaf surface green, prickles present on midvein only, prickles 1–5, prickles straight and acicular or straight, broad-based. Upper leaf surface stellate hairs absent or confined to midrib or distributed throughout, absent from surface or very sparse, 0.5–3 mm apart, 0.25–0.35 mm across, stalks 0 mm long, lateral rays 10–16, lateral rays porrect, central ray 0–0.4 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 or greenish-white, prickles present on midvein only or present on midvein and lateral veins, prickles 1–15, prickles straight and acicular or straight, broad-based. Lower leaf surface stellate hairs very sparse or sparse or moderate, 0.25–0.8 mm apart, 0.25–0.4 mm diameter, stalks 0 mm long, lateral rays 10–16, lateral rays porrect, central ray 0–0.4 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 absent or present, common peduncle 0–6 mm long, rachis prickles absent, 2–8-flowered, with some bisexual and some male flowers. Flowers 5-merous. Pedicels at anthesis 4–10 mm long, same thickness throughout, prickles absent or present. Calyx tube at anthesis 1.5–2.5 mm long. Calyx lobes at anthesis hemispherical or deltate, 0.5–2.5 mm long. Calyx prickles at anthesis absent or present, 0–5 per flower. Calyx stellae dense or very dense, yellow or white, 0.2–0.3 mm across, stalks 0–0.1 mm long, lateral rays 11–16, central ray 0.2–0.5 times as long as laterals, central ray not gland-tipped. Calyx simple hairs absent. Calyx short glandular hairs absent. Corolla purple, 9–14 mm long, rotate, inner surface glabrous or with simple hairs. Anthers 4.7–6.4 mm long. Filaments 1.5–2 mm long. Ovary with short glandular hairs only or with stellate and short glandular hairs. Functional style 8–9.5 mm long, protruding between anthers, with short glandular hairs only or with stellate and short glandular hairs.
Fruits. Fruiting calyx lobes less than half length of mature fruit, prickles absent or present. Mature fruits 1–6 per inflorescence, globular, 13–16 mm diameter, black, 1-locular (septum absent or incomplete), pericarp 0.1–0.3 mm thick, pedicels 6–12 mm long. Seeds black, 3.8–4.5 mm long.
Distribution and habitat. Western Australia.
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’.