 Habit (amongst rocks, Wubin, WA). Image reproduced with permission from Japan Tobacco Inc. from The genus Nicotiana illustrated (1994). |
 Line drawing by P. Horton showing basal leaf and inflorescence. |
 Inflorescence (Mt magnet, WA). Image reproduced with permission from Japan Tobacco Inc. from The genus Nicotiana illustrated (1994). |
 Pot grown plant. Image reproduced with permission from Japan Tobacco Inc. from The genus Nicotiana illustrated (1994). |
 Image reproduced with permission from Japan Tobacco Inc. from The genus Nicotiana illustrated (1994). |
 Image reproduced with permission from Japan Tobacco Inc. from The genus Nicotiana illustrated (1994). |
 Seed of subsp. rosulata (DE Symon 1175, AD). Photo © Bob Baldock. |
 Subsp. rosulata is represented by dots across central western and southern W.A., extending to S.A. |
Synonymy
Nicotiana rosulata (S. Moore) Domin, Biblioth. Bot. 89: 592; t. 36, fig. 11 (1929) subsp. rosulata
N. suaveolens var. rosulata S. Moore, J. Linn. Soc. Bot. 34: 206 (1899).
T: Near Wilson's Pool, W.A. Goldfields, Apr. 1895, S. Moore s.n.; lecto: BM n.v., photo ADW; iso: K n.v., photo ADW; fide P.Horton, J. Adelaide Bot. Gard. 3: 30 (1981).
N. stenocarpa H. Wheeler, Univ. Calif. Publ. Bot. 18(4): 61 (1935), fide N.T. Burbidge, Austral. J. Bot. 8: 375 (1960)
T: Laverton, W.A., Nov. 1909, J.H. Maiden s.n.; holo: NSW.
Description
Herb to 1 m; leaves and lower parts of stem usually sparsely pubescent with non-glandular hairs, upper stem glabrous.
Leaves usually all radical, elliptic, petiolate; lamina up to 21 cm long; petiole to 8 cm long, narrowly winged.
Inflorescence panicle-like, few-branched, variably pubescent with glandular hairs. Calyx 6–22 mm long. Corolla-tube 17–37 mm long, 1–2 mm wide at top of calyx; limb 7–25 mm diam., the lobes notched. Upper 4 anthers at the same level or 2 slightly above the other 2, the filaments to 3.5 mm long; filament of the 5th stamen 5–18 mm long, inserted in upper half of corolla-tube. Cleistogamous flowers occasionally present.
Capsule ellipsoid to narrowly ellipsoid, 6–16 mm long. Seeds usually reniform or acutely angled; testa irregularly honeycombed or wrinkled. n=20.
Distribution and ecology
Widespread across central W.A., extending to north-western S.A. Grows mostly in sandy soils, often under trees along minor water courses.
Notes
A variable species, the corolla-tube becoming progressively shorter from north-eastern to south-western part of the range. While two subspecies are distinguished, intermediates occur where their distributions overlap.
Distinct from subsp. ingulba by the lack of cauline leaves, the non-glandular pubescence on the lower stems and leaves and by the corolla-tube usually less than 35 mm long.
According to Pandey (1969) N. rosulata has flowers which are self-compatible. Which particular subspecies was involved in these observations is unknown.
Reference: Pandey, K. K. (1969) Elements of the S-gene complex V. Interspecific cross-compatibility relationships and theory of the evolution of the S complex. Genetica 40, 447-474.
A valuable summary of the cultural use of Nicotiana species in Australia is provided in D.E.Symon (2005). Native tobaccos (Solanaceae: Nicotiana spp.) in Australia and their use by Aboriginal peoples. The Beagle 21: 1-10.
Selected specimens
W.A.: 5 km N of Agnew, T.E.H. Aplin 2364 (PERTH). S.A.: 25 km SW of Everard Park Homestead, D.J.E. Whibley 1117 (AD, MEL).
Web links
A fact sheet for this species can be downloaded from the SA eFlora site and from the FloraBase site as the species.