| | Solanum species of eastern and northern Australia |
Habit. Erect. Non-rhizomatous perennial shrub. 1–2 m high. Large stems prickles absent.
Branchlets. Branchlets terete or ridged. Branchlets brown or green. Branchlet prickles absent. Branchlet hairs absent. Branchlet stellate hairs absent.
Leaves. Leaves lanceolate or elliptical, 3–15 cm long, 1–2 cm wide, 3–7 times longer than broad, entire. Leaf apex acute, base cuneate. Petioles 0.5–1 cm long, not winged, prickles absent.
Upper leaf surface. Upper leaf surface green, prickles absent. Upper leaf surface stellate hairs absent, absent from surface. Upper leaf surface simple hairs absent. Upper leaf surface short glandular hairs absent.
Lower leaf surface. Lower leaf surface green, prickles absent. Lower leaf surface stellate hairs absent. Lower leaf surface simple hairs absent. Lower leaf surface short glandular hairs absent.
Inflorescence. Inflorescence leaf-opposed, cymose (pseudo-racemose) or branched (paniculate to corymbose), common peduncle absent, rachis prickles absent, 5–20-flowered, with all flowers bisexual. Flowers 5-merous. Pedicels at anthesis 8–25 mm long, prickles absent. Calyx tube at anthesis 3–4 mm long. Calyx lobes at anthesis hemispherical or deltate, 1–2 mm long. Calyx prickles at anthesis absent. Calyx stellae absent. Calyx simple hairs absent. Calyx short glandular hairs absent. Corolla purple, 10–15 mm long, rotate, inner surface glabrous. Anthers 2–2.5 mm long. Ovary glabrous. Functional style 5–7 mm long, protruding between anthers, glabrous.
Fruits. Fruiting calyx lobes less than half length of mature fruit, prickles absent. Mature fruits 5–20 per inflorescence, globular, 10–15 mm diameter, green, often streaked, 2-locular. Seeds black, 2–2.5 mm long. Stone-cell granules present.
Distribution and habitat. New South Wales, Victoria, Western Australia. NSW: Central Coast, Central Tablelands, Central-west Slopes, South-west Slopes, South Western Plains, South Far Western Plains. Shrubby eucalypt woodland, remote from rainforest.
Classification. Subg. Archaesolanum. Common name: Kangaroo Apple. Data source: Fl of Vic and Symon 1994.
Cite this publication as: ‘Bean, A.R. 2012 onwards. Solanum species of eastern and northern Australia. Version: 25th January 2023. delta-intkey.com’.