| | Solanum species of eastern and northern Australia |
Habit. Erect. Rhizomatous perennial shrub. 1–3 m high. Large stems prickles absent.
Branchlets. Branchlet prickles absent. Branchlet hairs stellate. Branchlet stellate hairs very dense, lateral rays 10–30, lateral rays multiradiate or echinoid, central ray gland-tipped. Branchlet short glandular hairs absent.
Leaves. Leaves ovate or broadly ovate, 11–22 cm long, 8–16 cm wide, entire. Leaf apex acute, base obtuse or cordate. Petioles prickles absent. Axillary leaves present.
Upper leaf surface. Upper leaf surface green or grey-green, prickles absent. Upper leaf surface stellate hairs distributed throughout, protostellae present, sparse to moderate density, lateral rays ascending or multiradiate, central ray not gland-tipped or gland-tipped. Upper leaf surface simple hairs absent. Upper leaf surface short glandular hairs present throughout.
Lower leaf surface. Lower leaf surface greenish-white or white to grey or yellowish, prickles absent. Lower leaf surface stellate hairs sparse or moderate, lateral rays porrect or ascending or multiradiate, central ray not gland-tipped or gland-tipped. Lower leaf surface simple hairs absent. Lower leaf surface short glandular hairs present throughout.
Inflorescence. Inflorescence terminal, branched (paniculate to corymbose), common peduncle 40–100 mm long, rachis prickles absent, 15–50-flowered, with all flowers bisexual. Flowers 5-merous. Pedicels at anthesis prickles absent. Calyx lobes at anthesis deltate, 2–5 mm long. Calyx prickles at anthesis absent. Calyx stellae dense or very dense, lateral rays 10–30, central ray gland-tipped. Calyx simple hairs absent. Calyx short glandular hairs absent. Corolla white, deeply lobed.
Fruits. Fruiting calyx prickles absent. Mature fruits 20–50 per inflorescence, globular or ellipsoidal or ovoid, yellow or yellowish-green, conspicuously stellate hairy, pedicels 10–15 mm long.
Distribution and habitat. Queensland. Qld: Moreton.
Classification. Naturalised. Subg. Brevantherum. Data source: specimens.
Illustrations. • flowers. • immature fruits.
Cite this publication as: ‘Bean, A.R. 2012 onwards. Solanum species of eastern and northern Australia. Version: 25th January 2023. delta-intkey.com’.
