| | Solanum species of eastern and northern Australia |
Habit. Erect. Rhizomatous perennial shrub. 1.1–1.8 m high.
Branchlets. Branchlets white or yellow. Branchlet prickles 10–32 per decimetre, straight and acicular or straight, broad-based, 2–10 mm long, 7–14 times longer than wide, glabrous or with stellate hairs only at base. Branchlet hairs stellate. Branchlet stellate hairs very dense, 0.5–0.7 mm diameter, stalks 0–0.4 mm long, lateral rays 8, lateral rays ascending, central ray 1–2.2 times as long as laterals, central ray not gland-tipped. Branchlet short glandular hairs absent.
Leaves. Leaves lanceolate or ovate, 4.8–9 cm long, 1.6–3.4 cm wide, 2.6–4.5 times longer than broad, entire or shallowly lobed throughout, lobes 0–6 on each side, lobes obtuse, lobing index 1–1.1. Leaf apex obtuse or acute, base cuneate or obtuse, oblique part 0–2 mm long, obliqueness index 0–3 percent. Petioles 0.5–0.9 cm long, 7–18% length of lamina, prickles absent.
Upper leaf surface. Upper leaf surface grey-green or grey, prickles absent. Upper leaf surface stellate hairs distributed throughout, dense or very dense, 0.05–0.2 mm apart, 0.35–0.6 mm across, stalks 0 mm long, lateral rays 6–8, lateral rays porrect, central ray 1–2.5 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 absent. Lower leaf surface stellate hairs dense or very dense, 0.05–0.1 mm apart, 0.4–0.6 mm diameter, stalks 0–0.2 mm long, lateral rays 6–8, lateral rays porrect, 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 5–18 mm long, rachis prickles absent or present, 8–29-flowered, with some bisexual and some male flowers. Flowers 5-merous. Pedicels at anthesis 5–6 mm long, same thickness throughout, prickles absent. Calyx tube at anthesis 2–3 mm long. Calyx lobes at anthesis hemispherical or deltate, 1.5–2.5 mm long. Calyx prickles at anthesis absent. Calyx stellae dense or very dense, yellow or white, 0.3–0.5 mm across, stalks 0–0.1 mm long, lateral rays 8, central ray 1.2–2 times as long as laterals, central ray not gland-tipped. Calyx simple hairs absent. Calyx short glandular hairs absent. Corolla purple, 13 mm long, rotate, inner surface glabrous or with simple hairs. Anthers 7–7.3 mm long. Filaments 1.7 mm long. Ovary glabrous or with short glandular hairs only. Functional style 10–11 mm long, protruding between anthers, with short glandular hairs only.
Fruits. Fruiting calyx lobes less than half length of mature fruit, prickles absent. Mature fruits 2–4 per inflorescence, globular, 15 mm diameter, black, 1-locular (septum absent or incomplete), pericarp 0.1–0.3 mm thick, pedicels 9–12 mm long. Seeds brown or black, 3.2–3.4 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’.