| | Solanum species of eastern and northern Australia |
Habit. Sprawling. Rhizomatous perennial shrub. 0.4 m high.
Branchlets. Branchlets white or rusty or brown. Branchlet prickles 240–980 per decimetre, straight and acicular, 2–8.5 mm long, 12–16 times longer than wide, glabrous. Branchlet hairs stellate. Branchlet stellate hairs very dense, 0.7–1.1 mm diameter, stalks 0.15–0.5 mm long, lateral rays 7–8, lateral rays porrect or ascending, central ray 0.8–1.3 times as long as laterals, central ray not gland-tipped. Branchlet short glandular hairs absent.
Leaves. Leaves ovate or broadly ovate, 6.3–11.4 cm long, 4–6.2 cm wide, 1.6–2.4 times longer than broad, entire or shallowly lobed throughout, lobes 0 on each side or 2 on each side, lobes obtuse, lobing index 1–1.1. Leaf apex obtuse or acute, base obtuse or cordate, oblique part 2.5–7 mm long, obliqueness index 3–6 percent. Petioles 2.4–4.8 cm long, 30–44% length of lamina, prickles present.
Upper leaf surface. Upper leaf surface green or grey-green, prickles present on midvein and lateral veins, prickles 30–60, prickles straight and acicular, prickles 2–7 mm long. Upper leaf surface stellate hairs distributed throughout, dense, 0.1–0.4 mm apart, 0.6–1 mm across, stalks 0–0.5 mm long, lateral rays 7–8, lateral rays porrect or ascending, central ray 1.5–4 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 white to grey, prickles present on midvein and lateral veins, prickles 13–23, prickles straight and acicular. Lower leaf surface stellate hairs dense or very dense, 0.1–0.25 mm apart, 0.8–1.2 mm diameter, stalks 0–1 mm long, lateral rays 7–8, lateral rays porrect or ascending, 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 22–43 mm long, rachis prickles present, 6–14-flowered, with all flowers bisexual. Flowers 5-merous. Pedicels at anthesis 9–21 mm long, same thickness throughout, prickles present. Calyx tube at anthesis 1.5–3.5 mm long. Calyx lobes at anthesis attenuate, 3.5–9 mm long. Calyx prickles at anthesis present, 36–82 per flower, 1–3.5 mm long. Calyx stellae very dense, transparent or purple, 0.7–1 mm across, stalks 0–0.5 mm long, lateral rays 6–8, central ray 2–3 times as long as laterals, central ray not gland-tipped. Calyx simple hairs absent. Calyx short glandular hairs absent. Corolla purple, 16–18 mm long, rotate, inner surface glabrous. Anthers 4.6–5.7 mm long. Filaments 0.5–1.2 mm long. Ovary glabrous. Functional style 9–9.5 mm long, protruding between anthers, glabrous.
Fruits. Fruiting calyx lobes less than half length of mature fruit or lobes more than half length of mature fruit, prickles 2–3.5 mm long. Mature fruits pedicels 11–16 mm long.
Distribution and habitat. Queensland. Qld: Mitchell, Burke.
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’.