| | Solanum species of eastern and northern Australia |
Habit. Erect. Rhizomatous perennial shrub. 0.3–1.2 m high.
Branchlets. Branchlets white or grey. Branchlet prickles absent or present, 0–10 per decimetre, straight, broad-based, 2–8 mm long, 4–8 times longer than wide, glabrous or with stellate hairs only at base. Branchlet hairs stellate. Branchlet stellate hairs very dense, 0.3–0.5 mm diameter, stalks 0 mm long, lateral rays 12–16, lateral rays porrect, central ray absent. Branchlet short glandular hairs absent.
Leaves. Leaves narrow lanceolate or lanceolate, 3.7–9.8 cm long, 1–1.8 cm wide, 3.1–5.7 times longer than broad, entire. Leaf apex obtuse or acute, base cuneate or obtuse or cordate, oblique part 0–5 mm long, obliqueness index 0–6 percent. Petioles 0.6–1.3 cm long, 15–27% length of lamina, prickles absent or present.
Upper leaf surface. Upper leaf surface grey-green or grey, prickles absent. Upper leaf surface stellate hairs distributed throughout, moderate density or dense or very dense, 0.1–0.2 mm apart, 0.15–0.3 mm across, stalks 0 mm long, lateral rays 12–15, lateral rays porrect, central ray 0 times as long as laterals. Upper leaf surface simple hairs absent. Upper leaf surface short glandular hairs absent.
Lower leaf surface. Lower leaf surface white to grey or silvery, prickles absent. Lower leaf surface stellate hairs very dense, 0.03–0.07 mm apart, 0.2–0.3 mm diameter, stalks 0 mm long, lateral rays 12–16, lateral rays porrect, central ray 0 times as long as laterals. Lower leaf surface simple hairs absent. Lower leaf surface short glandular hairs absent.
Inflorescence. Inflorescence supra-axillary, cymose (pseudo-racemose), common peduncle 2–6 mm long, rachis prickles absent, 5–10-flowered, with some bisexual and some male flowers. Flowers 5-merous. Pedicels at anthesis 4–9 mm long, same thickness throughout, 0.5–0.8 mm thick at mid-point, prickles absent. Calyx tube at anthesis 1.5–3.5 mm long. Calyx lobes at anthesis hemispherical or deltate, 1.5–2.5 mm long. Calyx prickles at anthesis absent. Calyx stellae very dense, yellow or white, 0.15–0.25 mm across, stalks 0 mm long, lateral rays 12–15, central ray 0 times as long as laterals. Calyx simple hairs absent. Calyx short glandular hairs absent. Corolla mauve or purple, 10–15 mm long, rotate or shallowly lobed, inner surface with simple hairs. Anthers 4.5–6.5 mm long. Filaments 1.5–1.9 mm long. Ovary with short glandular hairs only. Functional style 7–10 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 1–3 per inflorescence, globular, 9–12 mm diameter, black, 1-locular (septum absent or incomplete), interior dry, pericarp 0.1–0.3 mm thick, pedicels 7–12 mm long, pedicels 0.8–1 mm thick at mid-point. Seeds brown or black, 3.8–5.1 mm long.
Distribution and habitat. Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, Northern Territory. Qld: Warrego, Gregory South. NSW: North Far Western Plains, South Far Western Plains. Red earths in mulga (Acacia aneura) dominated communities, shrublands in arid zone.
Classification. Subg. Leptostemonum. Common name: Thargomindah Nightshade. Data source: specimens.
Illustrations. • leaf underside. • flowers. • flowering plant.
Cite this publication as: ‘Bean, A.R. 2012 onwards. Solanum species of eastern and northern Australia. Version: 25th January 2023. delta-intkey.com’.
