| | Solanum species of eastern and northern Australia |
Habit. Erect. Rhizomatous perennial shrub. 0.3–0.6 m high.
Branchlets. Branchlets rusty or brown. Branchlet prickles 180–400 per decimetre, straight and acicular, 1.5–6 mm long, 11–18 times longer than wide, glabrous or with stellate hairs throughout lower part. Branchlet hairs stellate. Branchlet stellate hairs very dense, 0.6–0.9 mm diameter, stalks 0–0.4 mm long, lateral rays 7–8, lateral rays porrect or ascending, central ray 0.6–1.2 times as long as laterals, central ray not gland-tipped, thready or rigid.
Leaves. Leaves elliptical or ovate, 3.5–9 cm long, 1.2–3.4 cm wide, 1.9–2.7 times longer than broad, entire. Leaf apex acute, base cuneate, oblique part 0–5 mm long, obliqueness index 0–9 percent. Petioles 0.7–1.7 cm long, 19–30% length of lamina, prickles present.
Upper leaf surface. Upper leaf surface grey, prickles absent or present on midvein only, prickles 0–6, prickles straight and acicular, prickles 1–4 mm long. Upper leaf surface stellate hairs distributed throughout, dense, 0.1–0.25 mm apart, 0.6–1 mm across, stalks 0–0.25 mm long, lateral rays 7–8, lateral rays porrect, central ray 0.8–1.2 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 rusty, prickles absent or present on midvein only or present on midvein and lateral veins, prickles 0–10, prickles straight and acicular. Lower leaf surface stellate hairs dense to very dense, 0.1–0.2 mm apart, 0.7–1 mm diameter, stalks 0–0.6 mm long, lateral rays 7–8, lateral rays porrect, central ray 0.6–1.2 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, solitary or cymose (pseudo-racemose), common peduncle absent or present, common peduncle 0–6 mm long, rachis prickles present, 1–3-flowered. Flowers 5-merous. Pedicels at anthesis 5–11 mm long, same thickness throughout, 0.9–1.2 mm thick at mid-point, prickles absent or present. Calyx tube at anthesis 2–3.5 mm long. Calyx lobes at anthesis attenuate, 4–9 mm long. Calyx prickles at anthesis present, 40–65 per flower, 1–4 mm long. Calyx stellae very dense, brown or rusty, 0.4–0.6 mm across, stalks 0–0.2 mm long, lateral rays 6–8, central ray 0.6–1.2 times as long as laterals, central ray not gland-tipped. Calyx simple hairs absent. Calyx short glandular hairs absent. Corolla purple, 7–11 mm long, shallowly lobed or deeply lobed, inner surface glabrous. Anthers 4–4.5 mm long. Ovary glabrous. Functional style 7.5–8.5 mm long, protruding between anthers, glabrous.
Fruits. Fruiting calyx lobes more than half length of mature fruit, prickles 2–5 mm long. Mature fruits 1–2 per inflorescence, globular, 13 mm diameter, yellowish-green or green, often streaked, interior moist but not juicy, pedicels 6–14 mm long, pedicels 1.2–1.5 mm thick at mid-point.
Distribution and habitat. Queensland. Qld: Mitchell, Gregory North, Burke. Shrubby eucalypt woodland, remote from rainforest, shrublands in arid zone.
Classification. Subg. Leptostemonum. Data source: specimens.
Illustrations. • type specimen.
Cite this publication as: ‘Bean, A.R. 2012 onwards. Solanum species of eastern and northern Australia. Version: 25th January 2023. delta-intkey.com’.
