| | Solanum species of eastern and northern Australia |
Habit. Erect. Rhizomatous perennial shrub. 0.5–1.5 m high.
Branchlets. Branchlet prickles 300–600 per decimetre, straight, broad-based, 3–7 mm long, 4–7 times longer than wide, glabrous. Branchlet hairs stellate. Branchlet stellate hairs dense, 1–1.6 mm diameter, stalks 0.5–2.5 mm long, lateral rays 6–8, lateral rays porrect or ascending, central ray 0.7–1.3 times as long as laterals, central ray not gland-tipped, thready. Branchlet short glandular hairs absent.
Leaves. Leaves broadly ovate, 16–26 cm long, 12–20 cm wide, 1.25–1.4 times longer than broad, shallowly lobed throughout, lobes 3–4 on each side, lobes obtuse, lobing index 1.2–1.5. Leaf apex obtuse or acute, base obtuse, oblique part 8–12 mm long. Petioles 3.5–5.5 cm long, 15–26% length of lamina, prickles present.
Upper leaf surface. Upper leaf surface green or grey-green, prickles present on midvein and lateral veins, prickles straight, broad-based. Upper leaf surface stellate hairs distributed throughout, protostellae absent, very sparse or sparse or moderate density, lateral rays 4–7, lateral rays porrect, central ray 3–10 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 15–30, prickles straight, broad-based. Lower leaf surface stellate hairs dense or very dense, 0.15–0.4 mm apart, 0.7–1 mm diameter, stalks 0–0.5 mm long, lateral rays 8–15, lateral rays multiradiate, central ray 0.8–1.3 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, sessile (rachis very short or absent) or umbellate, common peduncle absent, 2–5-flowered. Calyx prickles at anthesis absent. Calyx stellae very dense, yellow or brown or rusty, central ray not gland-tipped. Calyx simple hairs absent. Calyx short glandular hairs absent. Ovary with stellate hairs only.
Fruits. Mature fruits 25–35 mm diameter, orange or yellow, conspicuously stellate hairy.
Distribution and habitat. Queensland. Qld: Moreton, Cook, Kennedy North.
Classification. Naturalised. 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’.