Synonymy

Solanum cocosoides A.R.Bean, Austrobaileya 6: 772 (2004).

T: Qld, 21.1 km W of Blackwater, 16 Sep 1999, A.R.Bean 15403; holo: BRI; iso: CANB, MEL,NSW, NY.

An image of the type specimen of S. cocosoides can be seen in the Bean interactive key site at http://delta-intkey.com/solanum/images/Sol_cocos.jpg

S. tetrathecum auct. non F.Muell.: Symon, J. Adelaide Bot. Gard. 4: 176 (1981), p.p. (at least with respect to Crisp 3102, possibly others).

Description

 Erect, rhizomatous perennial shrub, 1-1.5 m high. Juvenile stage unknown. Adult branchlets terete or ridged, rusty or brown; prickles absent or present, 0-5 per dm, straight, broad-based, 4-10 mm long, 4-7 times longer than wide; stellae very dense, 0.5-1 mm diameter, stalks 0.2-2.2 mm long; lateral rays 7-11, ascending; central ray 1-2 times as long as laterals, not gland-tipped; finger hairs absent; Type 2 hairs absent.

 Adult leaves ovate, entire; lamina 4.5-8.5 cm long, 1.7-3.5 cm wide, 2.3- 2.7 times longer than broad, apex acute, base obtuse or cordate, oblique part 0-3 mm long, obliqueness index 0-6 percent; petioles 0.9- 2.5 cm long, 17-35% length of lamina, prickles absent. Upper leaf surface grey; prickles absent; stellate hairs distributed throughout; proto-stellae absent; ordinary stellae very dense, c. 0.05 mm apart, 0.4-0.8 mm across, stalks 0-0.1 mm long; lateral rays 7 or 8, porrect or ascending; central ray 1-1.5 times as long as laterals, not gland-tipped; finger hairs absent; Type 2 hairs absent. Lower leaf surface white or yellowish; prickles absent; stellae very dense, c. 0.05 mm apart, 0.5-0.8 mm diameter, stalks 0-0.3 mm long; lateral rays 7-9, porrect; central ray 1-1.5 times as long as laterals, not gland-tipped; finger hairs absent; Type 2 hairs absent.

Inflorescence supra-axillary, pseudo-racemose, common peduncle 15-33 mm long, rachis prickles absent; 2-5-flowered, weakly andro-monoecious, flowers 5-merous; pedicels 1-4 mm long at anthesis, same thickness throughout or markedly thicker distally, c. 0.7 mm thick at mid-point, prickles absent. Calyx tube 3-4 mm long, lobes attenuate, 3-9 mm long; prickles absent at anthesis; stellae very dense, brown or rusty, 0.4-1 mm across, stalks 0-2 mm long, lateral rays 7 or 8, central ray 1-2 times as long as laterals, not gland-tipped; finger hairs absent; Type 2 hairs absent. Corolla purple, 12-20 mm long, rotate, inner surface densely stellate-hairy; anthers 5.5-6.5 mm long; ovary with Type 2 hairs only; functional style 9.5-11.5 mm long, erect, with Type 2 hairs only.

Fruiting calyx with lobes less than half length of mature fruit, prickles absent. Mature fruits 1-3 per inflorescence, globular, 14-20 mm diameter, yellowish-green or pale green with dark green streaks, 4-locular; placenta in cross-section stalked, circular to elliptical, or stalked, anvil-shaped; mesocarp moist but not juicy; exocarp 0.7-2.5 mm thick; pedicels 4-8 mm long in fruit, 1-1.2 mm thick at mid-point; seeds brown to black, 2.6-3 mm long.

Bean's description of  S. cocosoides reproduced with permission from Austrobaileya 6: 772 (2004).

Another detailed description of this species can be found on the Bean interactive key site at http://delta-intkey.com/solanum/www/cocosoid.htm

Relationships

S. cocosoides is closest to S. jucundum, both species having been recognised from within the previously described S. tetratheca (Symon 1981). All three have green or yellowish-green fruits with darker green streaks.

The primary difference between the species, apart from characteristics of the stellate hairs (see Bean 2004) relate to the rotate corolla of S. cocosoides, compared to the deeply stellate corollas of S. jucundum and S. tetrathecum.