| | Solanum species of eastern and northern Australia |
Habit. Prostrate or sprawling. Annual. 0.1–0.2 m high. Large stems prickles absent.
Branchlets. Branchlet prickles absent. Branchlet hairs simple. Branchlet stellate hairs absent. Branchlet simple hairs antrorse, curved, not gland-tipped, 0.3–0.8 mm long.
Leaves. Leaves elliptical or ovate or broadly ovate, 2–4 cm long, 1–2.5 cm wide, 1.5–2 times longer than broad, deeply lobed throughout, lobes 3–4 on each side, lobes acute, lobing index 5–20. Leaf apex acute, base cuneate or obtuse. Petioles 0.5–1 cm long, 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 antrorse, curved, sparse or moderate to dense, not gland-tipped, 0.2–0.5 mm long. 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 antrorse, curved, sparse, not gland-tipped, 0.3–0.5 mm long. Lower leaf surface short glandular hairs absent.
Inflorescence. Inflorescence supra-axillary, cymose (pseudo-racemose) or almost umbellate but 1–2 fls/frt separate, common peduncle 10–30 mm long, rachis prickles absent, 1–3-flowered, with all flowers bisexual. Flowers 5-merous. Pedicels at anthesis 3–10 mm long, prickles absent. Calyx tube at anthesis 3–5 mm long. Calyx lobes at anthesis deltate, 1.5–2 mm long. Calyx prickles at anthesis absent. Calyx stellae absent. Calyx simple hairs present. Calyx short glandular hairs present. Corolla white, 2.5–4 mm long, deeply lobed. Anthers 1.8–2.5 mm long. Ovary glabrous. Functional style 3 mm long, strongly bent near base, not touching anthers.
Fruits. Fruiting calyx lobes less than half length of mature fruit or lobes more than half length of mature fruit, prickles absent, lobes strongly recurved. Mature fruits 1–3 per inflorescence, globular, 8–12 mm diameter, green, often streaked. Seeds pale yellow, 1.5–2 mm long. Stone-cell granules present.
Distribution and habitat. Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania, Western Australia. Qld: Darling Downs. NSW: Central Coast, Northern Tablelands, Central Tablelands, Southern Tablelands, North-west Slopes, Central-west Slopes, South-west Slopes, South Western Plains.
Classification. Naturalised. Subg. Potatoe. Common name: Cut-leaf Nightshade. Data source: Fl of Vic, Symon 1981, specimens.
Illustrations. • line drawing.
Cite this publication as: ‘Bean, A.R. 2012 onwards. Solanum species of eastern and northern Australia. Version: 25th January 2023. delta-intkey.com’.
