| | Solanum species of eastern and northern Australia |
Habit. Erect. Rhizomatous perennial shrub. 0.3–1 m high.
Branchlets. Branchlet prickles 13 per decimetre, straight, broad-based or curved, broad-based, 1–6 mm long, 1.5–6 times longer than wide. Branchlet hairs simple. Branchlet stellate hairs absent. Branchlet simple hairs erect, straight, gland-tipped, 0.3–0.7 mm long, short glandular hairs absent.
Leaves. Leaves ovate or broadly ovate, 9.4 cm long, 7.3 cm wide, shallowly lobed throughout, lobes 3–4 on each side, lobing index 1.1–1.3. Leaf apex acute, base cordate. Petioles 3.2 cm long, 34% length of lamina, prickles present.
Upper leaf surface. Upper leaf surface green, prickles present on midvein and lateral veins, prickles straight and acicular or straight, broad-based. Upper leaf surface stellate hairs absent, absent from surface. Upper leaf surface simple hairs erect, straight, moderate to dense, not gland-tipped, 0.4–1.5 mm long. Upper leaf surface short glandular hairs absent.
Lower leaf surface. Lower leaf surface green or yellowish, prickles present on midvein and lateral veins, prickles 20–50, prickles straight and acicular or straight, broad-based. Lower leaf surface stellate hairs very sparse or sparse, 0.5–2 mm apart, 0.6–1 mm diameter, stalks 0–0.2 mm long, lateral rays 4, lateral rays porrect, central ray 1.5–2 times as long as laterals, central ray not gland-tipped. Lower leaf surface simple hairs erect, straight, moderate to dense, not gland-tipped or gland-tipped. Lower leaf surface short glandular hairs absent.
Inflorescence. Inflorescence supra-axillary, solitary or sessile (rachis very short or absent), common peduncle absent or present, 1–5-flowered. Flowers 5-merous. Calyx prickles at anthesis present. Calyx stellae absent. Calyx simple hairs present. Corolla white, deeply lobed. Anthers 4.8–6 mm long. Functional style protruding between anthers, glabrous.
Fruits. Fruiting calyx lobes less than half length of mature fruit. Mature fruits globular, yellow. Seeds pale yellow or brown.
Distribution and habitat. Queensland, New South Wales. Qld: Moreton. NSW: North Coast.
Classification. Naturalised. Subg. Leptostemonum. Common name: Tropical soda apple. Data source: specimens.
Illustrations. • fruits. • fruits.
Cite this publication as: ‘Bean, A.R. 2012 onwards. Solanum species of eastern and northern Australia. Version: 25th January 2023. delta-intkey.com’.
