 Line drawing by M. Szent Ivany, J. Adelaide Bot. Gards 4 (1981) 234, fig. 102. |
 Distribution map generated from Australia's Virtual Herbarium . |
Synonymy
Solanum cookii Symon, J. Adelaide Bot. Gard. 4: 233; figs 96, 102 (1981)
T: cultivated at Adelaide, S.A., 25 Feb. 1972, D.E. Symon s.n., from seed collected from McIlwraith Range, Cape York Peninsula, Qld, Oct. 1969, Webb & Tracey 8355; holo: AD ex ADW; iso: BRI, CANB, K.
S. adenophorum var. indivisum Domin, Biblioth. Bot. 89: 586 (1929).
T: Rockingham Bay, Qld, J. Dallachy s.n.; iso: K, photo AD.
Description
Erect or sprawling shrub to 3 m, green, pubescent with simple and glandular hairs; stellate hairs usually present on lower leaf-surface; prickles to 10 mm long, abundant on most parts.
Leaves ovate-elliptic; lamina 8–15 cm long, 5–10 cm wide, concolorous, shallowly lobed; lobes angular, slightly toothed or lobed; petiole 3–6 cm long.
Inflorescence few–10–flowered; peduncle 15–25 mm long; rachis 15–30 mm long; pedicels 3–8 mm long. Calyx 7–11 mm long; lobes linear-lanceolate, 5–8 mm long. Corolla broadly stellate to pentagonal, 15–20 mm diam., pale lavender-blue. Anthers 3.5–5 mm long.
Berry globular, 10–15 mm diam.; colour not known (whitish on some plants). Seeds 2–2.5 mm long, pale yellowish or buff. n=12.
A more detailed description can be found on the Bean Delta site at http://delta-intkey.com/solanum/www/cookii.htm or in the original description in Journal Adelaide Botanic Gardens 4: 233 (1981).
Distribution and ecology
Occurs in northern Qld, in the area inland from Ingham to Cairns and in the McIlwraith Range.
Usually associated with rainforest, growing in soils derived from basalt and granodiorite.
Relationships
Considered by Bean (2004) to be a member of the S. hystrix group of subgen. Leptostemonum.
Selected specimens
Qld: Evelyn, 11 Jan. 1974, D.J. Collins (AD, BRI);
From Flora of
QLD: COOK DISTRICT: c. 6 miles [10 km] SW of Yungaburra, Curtain Fig site, Dec 1968, Tracey (BRI); Upper Lankelly Creek, western slopes of McIlwraith Range, NE of Coen, Oct 1969, Webb & Tracey 8355 (BRI); S.F.144, Agapetes L.A., Dec 1979, Hyland 10174 (BRI, QRS); S.F.191, Parish of Barron, Dec 1991, Hyland 14405 (BRI, QRS); S.F.194, Parish of Western, Mar 1994, Hyland 15052 (QRS); Klondike Mine road, May 1995, Hyland 15329 (QRS); Shiptons Flat, Jun 1996, Jago 4025 & Roberts (BRI); Wongabel S.F.191, Nov 1997, Forster PIF21929 et al. (BRI, MEL, QRS). NORTH KENNEDY DISTRICT: Tully Falls, Oct 1948, Fielding (QRS); Elphinstone Ck, Coldwater, 24 km W of Ingham, Jun 1972, Seton (BRI); ‘Bellview’, Evelyn, Jan 1974, Collins (BRI); Elliots Toe, Mt Elliot, Jun 1990, Cumming 9965 (BRI); Keoghs Scrub, Portion 205, Parish of Herberton, Oct 1993, Gray 5717 (QRS).
From Bean (2004).
From the web
Further information and links for this species can be found on the Solanaceae Source site.