 Line drawing by M. Szent Ivany, J. Adelaide Bot. Gard. 4 (1981) 227, fig. 98. |
 Sketch of calyx-enclosed fruit by D. E. Symon, J. Adelaide Bot. Gard. 4 (1981), fig. 154J. |
 Distribution map generated from Australia's Virtual Herbarium. |
Synonymy
Solanum gabrielae Domin, Biblioth. Bot. 89: 588; fig. 189 (1929)
T: North-west Australia, between the Ashburton and De Grey Rivers, E. Clement s.n.; holo: PR 530923; iso: K.
Description
Spreading shrub to 30 cm tall and 50 cm wide, yellowish-green, densely silky-pubescent with stellate hairs, the hairs frequently with glandular tips; prickles to 5 mm long, common on stems and calyx, rare or absent elsewhere.
Leaves ovate to ovate-lanceolate; lamina 3–7 cm long, 2.5–4.5 cm wide, sometimes larger, concolorous, usually entire; petiole 1–3 cm long.
Inflorescence short, 2–6–flowered; peduncle 1–2 (sometimes to 6) cm long; pedicels short. Calyx 7–10 mm long, enlarged in fruit; lobes obtusely triangular, 2–3 mm long. Corolla shallowly campanulate; tube 3–4 mm long; limb rotate, 2–3 cm diam., lilac-purple with green centre. Anthers 4–7 mm long.
Berry globular, 10–20 mm diam., green or yellow when ripe; fruiting calyx 1–2 cm diam. Seeds 1.5–2 mm long, light grey-brown, margin paler. n=12.
Distribution and ecology
Restricted to Hamersley Range region of W.A., growing on rocky slopes.
Relationships
Considered by Bean (2004) to be a member of the S. lasiophyllum group of subgen. Leptostemonum.
Notes
In specimens examined at AD, glandular hairs were not found on any of the stellate hairs and so there is some doubt that this plant is viscid. One of the later specimens specifically mentions it being non viscid (RMB).
Selected specimens
W.A.: 48 km SE of Coonarie River crossing, D.E. Symon 5389 (AD, NSW, PERTH); Tambrey Stn, D.E. Symon 5401 (CANB, PERTH).
From the web
Further information and links for this species are presently (March 2009) not available on the Solanaceae Source site but there is information and a number of images on the FloraBase site.