Family: Solanaceae
Solanum capsiciforme
Citation:
Baylis, Aust. J. Bot. 11:168 (1963).
Synonymy: S. simile F. Muell. var. capsiciforme Domin, Reprium nov. Spec. Regni veg. Beih. 12:130 (1913).
Common name: Capsicum kangaroo apple, native pepper.
Description:
A soft-wooded short-lived erect shrub to 1 m high, glabrous except for minute glandular and simple hairs on young growths and calyx and corolla tips, unarmed, general appearance green; juvenile leaves c. 8 x 2 cm, oblong-lanceolate, margins undulate, up to 11 lobes, sinuses shallow and rounded; adult leaves linear-lanceolate, 5-10 x 0.5-1 cm, entire, base long-cuneate, apex rounded or acute; petiole 0.5-1 cm long.
Inflorescence a 1-6-flowered cyme, in leaf axils or stem forks; peduncle 0-10 mm long; floral rhachis to 5 mm long, solitary pedunculate flowers may also occur; pedicels 1-2 cm long, slender; calyx 2-3 mm long, tube 1-2 mm long, lobes c. I mm long, acute; corolla 2-3 cm diam., rotate, interacuminal tissue (see fig. 573B) well developed exceeding the petal tip thus appearing somewhat emarginate, violet; filaments 1-2 mm long; anthers 2-3 mm long, oblong, loosely erect; ovary 1-1.5 mm long, glabrous; style 7-8 mm long, pale-purple; stigma capitate and slightly expanded, Pale.
fruiting peduncles deflexed; fruiting calyx slightly enlarged; fruit 1.5-2.5 cm long, conical, green at maturity, sometimes slightly pruinose, little fleshy, well filled with seeds and stony granules; seeds c. 1.5 mm long, brown or grey-brown, minutely but distinctly reticulate, with many granules 1-1.5 mm long.
| Flowering and fruiting branch and a fruit.
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Image source: fig. 573B in Jessop J.P. & Toelken H.R. (Ed.) 1986. Flora of South Australia (4th edn).
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Published illustration:
Symon (1981) J. Adelaide Bot. Gard. 4:91.
Distribution:
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S.Aust.: NU, EP, NL, MU, YP, KI. W.Aust.
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Conservation status:
native
Flowering time: most of the year but mainly Sept. — Nov.
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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:
The only local Solanum species with conical fruits.
Author:
Not yet available
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