| | Solanum species of eastern and northern Australia |
Habit. Erect. Rhizomatous perennial shrub. 0.6–1.8 m high.
Branchlets. Branchlets yellow or brown. Branchlet prickles absent or present, 0–6 per decimetre, straight and acicular or straight, broad-based, 2–5 mm long, 6–12 times longer than wide, glabrous. Branchlet hairs stellate. Branchlet stellate hairs dense to very dense, 0.25–0.4 mm diameter, stalks 0–0.1 mm long, lateral rays 6–8, lateral rays porrect, central ray 0.5–3 times as long as laterals, central ray not gland-tipped, thready.
Leaves. Leaves elliptical or ovate, 4–11 cm long, 1.5–4 cm wide, 2–3 times longer than broad, entire. Leaf apex obtuse or acute or acuminate, base cuneate, oblique part 0–3.5 mm long, obliqueness index 0–3 percent. Petioles 0.25–1.3 cm long, 5–12% length of lamina, prickles absent.
Upper leaf surface. Upper leaf surface green, prickles absent or present on midvein only, prickles 0–5, prickles straight and acicular, prickles 4–6 mm long. Upper leaf surface stellate hairs confined to midrib or distributed throughout, absent from surface or very sparse, 0.8–4 mm apart, 0.3–0.4 mm across, stalks 0 mm long, lateral rays 6–8, lateral rays porrect, central ray 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 green or greenish-white, prickles absent. Lower leaf surface stellate hairs dense, 0.1–0.3 mm apart, 0.3–0.5 mm diameter, stalks 0 mm long, lateral rays 7–8, lateral rays porrect, central ray 1–4 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, sessile (rachis very short or absent), common peduncle absent, 2–9-flowered, with all flowers bisexual. Flowers 5-merous. Pedicels at anthesis 7–17 mm long, same thickness throughout, 0.2–0.3 mm thick at mid-point, prickles absent. Calyx tube at anthesis 2–3 mm long. Calyx lobes at anthesis elliptic, 0.3–1 mm long. Calyx prickles at anthesis absent. Calyx stellae very sparse to sparse to moderate, transparent, 0.15–0.25 mm across, stalks 0 mm long, lateral rays 5–7, central ray 1–1.5 times as long as laterals, central ray not gland-tipped. Calyx simple hairs absent. Calyx short glandular hairs absent or present. Corolla white or mauve, 7–9 mm long, deeply lobed, inner surface glabrous. Anthers 3.5–4.5 mm long. Ovary with short glandular hairs only. Functional style 5.5–7 mm long, protruding between anthers, glabrous.
Fruits. Fruiting calyx lobes less than half length of mature fruit, prickles absent. Mature fruits 1–2 per inflorescence, globular, 3.5–6 mm diameter, red, glabrous or with a few scattered short glandular hairs, 1-locular (septum absent or incomplete), placenta not apparent, interior juicy, succulent, pericarp 0.1–0.2 mm thick, pedicels 13–21 mm long, pedicels 0.4–0.7 mm thick at mid-point. Seeds pale yellow, 2.6–3 mm long.
Distribution and habitat. Queensland, New South Wales. Qld: Moreton, Wide Bay. NSW: North Coast. Wet eucalypt forest with rainforest understorey, or rainforest margins.
Classification. Subg. Leptostemonum. Data source: specimens.
Illustrations. • mature fruit. • branchlets. • flowers and mature fruit.
Cite this publication as: ‘Bean, A.R. 2012 onwards. Solanum species of eastern and northern Australia. Version: 25th January 2023. delta-intkey.com’.
