Family: Solanaceae
Solanum sturtianum
Citation:
F. Muell., Trans. Phil. Soc. Vic. 1:18 (1854).
Synonymy: Solanum sturtii Common name: Sturts nightshade, Thargomindah nightshade.
Description:
An erect clonal shrub 0.5-1 rarely to 3 m tall, stems lasting several years, often somewhat willowly, rarely intricately branched; prickles variable; plants sometimes without prickles or almost so, usually with prickles 5-6 mm long scattered along the stem, rarely on other parts; all parts pubescent with a close dense tomentum of stellate hairs; leaves silvery below, grey-green above, discolorous, 3-6 x 0.5-1.3 cm, lanceolate, entire, sometimes slightly undulate, apex acute or rounded, base symmetrically rounded or oblique; petiole 0.5-1.5 cm; inflorescence a cyme of a few to 12 flowers; peduncle c. 1 cm long, short or absent; floral rhachis 5-6 mm long; pedicel 5-8 mm long; calyx 3-4 mm, campanulate; lobes 1-2 mm, their apices rounded; corolla rotate-stellate, 3-4 cm diam., often showy, lobes broad and rounded, interpetalar tissue well developed and equalling the tips; filaments 1-2 mm long; anthers 5-6 mm long, lanceolate, tapering, loosely erect; ovary minutely glandular-pubescent; style c. 1 cm long, erect, slightly thickened towards the apex, glandular-pubescent towards the base; stigma pale-green.
Fruiting pedicel firm; calyx not much enlarged; berry 1-1.5 cm diam., globular, at first marbled-green later yellow to brownish-black, dry not fleshy, skin brittle and breaking irregularly; seeds 3-5 mm, very dark-brown to black, flat though twisted slightly, the margins distinct, raised and smooth, the faces with minute raised tubercles.
| Flowering and fruiting branch and a fruit.
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Image source: fig. 579B in Jessop J.P. & Toelken H.R. (Ed.) 1986. Flora of South Australia (4th edn).
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Published illustration:
Cunningham et al. (1982) Plants of western New South Wales, p. 589; Rotherham et al. (1975) Flowers and plants of New South Wales and southern Queensland, p. 151.
Distribution:
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S.Aust.: NW, LE, GT, FR, EA, EP, NL, MU. W.Aust.; N.T.; Qld; N.S.W.
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Conservation status:
native
Flowering time: March — Oct.
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SA Distribution Map based
on current data relating to
specimens held in the
State Herbarium of South Australia
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Biology:
No text
Author:
Not yet available
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