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Grammosolen dixonii. Photo: L. Haegi © L. Haegi

Grammosolen truncatus. Photo: A. Robinson © A. Robinson

Taxonomy

Grammosolen Haegi, Telopea 2: 178 (1981); from the Greek gramme (a line or stroke of a pen), and solen (a pipe), in reference to the striated corolla-tube.

 Type species: G. dixonii (F. Muell. & R. Tate) Haegi, based on Newcastelia dixonii F. Muell. & R. Tate.

Shrubs, densely tomentose with non-glandular and inconspicuous glandular hairs. Leaves alternate, simple, almost sessile or petiolate. Inflorescence cyme-like, terminal on short, lateral, leafy branches. Flowers bisexual, actinomorphic, subtended by pairs of opposite or sub-opposite bracts. Calyx cupular, 5–lobed. Corolla narrowly tubular with spreading limb, drab white with violet striations; limb with 5 (rarely 4 or 6) long and narrow lobes, induplicate in bud. Stamens 5, unequal, inserted at base of corolla-tube; filaments pubescent at base; anthers unilocular, not cohering, dehiscing by a semicircular slit. Ovary bilocular. Stigma capitate, very shortly bilobed. Fruit a smooth capsule, opening from apex by 4 valves, more or less enclosed by calyx. Seeds subreniform. n=56; L.Haegi, loc. cit.

 A genus of 2 species endemic in arid and semi-arid S.A. A third species has been recognised, but not described from Western Australia (Grammosolen sp. Mt Ridley (W.R.Archer 1210911) for specimens previously referred to G. dixonii from the Esperance area (see Florabase at http://florabase.calm.wa.gov.au/search/advanced.php.

L. Haegi, A conspectus of Solanaceae tribe Anthocercideae, Telopea 2: 173–180 (1981).

Changes since the Flora of Australia treatment

A third species has been recognised, but not described from Western Australia (Grammosolen sp. Mt Ridley (W.R.Archer 1210911) for specimens previously referred to G. dixonii from the Esperance area - see Florabase at http://florabase.calm.wa.gov.au/search/advanced.php.

Phylogenetic studies by Garcia & Olmstead (2003) on the Tribe Anthocercideae using two chloroplast DNA regions indicated that Grammosolen is monophyletic.

Reference: V.F.Garcia & R.G.Olmstead (2003). Phylogenetics of Tribe Anthocercideaea (Solanaceae) based on ndhF and trnL/F sequence data. Systematic Botany 28: 609-615.

Key to species

1  Branches woolly-tomentose; leaves crowded, usually overlapping and obscuring stem; calyx-lobes more than 1 mm long      

Grammosolen dixonii

  1: Branches closely tomentose; leaves well-spaced and not obscuring stem; calyx-lobes 1 mm long or less

    2  Corolla lobes 3.5-6 mm long, rarely less; style 2.9-4 mm long; leaves 5-18 mm long [only known from W South Australia to this time]

Grammosolen truncatus

    2:  Corolla lobes 2-2.5 mm long; style 2.5 mm long or less; leaves 2.5-7 mm long [only known from N of Esperance, Western Australia to this time]

Grammosolen sp. Mt Ridley (W.Archer 2909916)