Synonymy

Solanum oldfieldii F. Muell., Fragm. Phytogr. Austral. 2: 161 (1961)

T: Murchison River, W.A., Oldfield s.n.; syn: L, MEL; Lynton, Port Gregory, W.A., Oldfield 856; lecto: K; iso: MEL; fide D.E. Symon, J. Adelaide Bot. Gard. 4: 161 (1981).

Description

Erect, clonal shrub to 1 m, dark green or rusty-green, the growing tips, pedicels and calyces often rusty; densely pubescent, often woolly, with stellate hairs; prickles to 8 mm long, usually scattered on stems, generally absent elsewhere.

Leaves ovate to oblong; lamina 2–7 cm long, 1–5 cm wide, slightly discolorous, entire or shallowly lobed; petiole 5–13 mm long.

Inflorescence short, 1–10–flowered; peduncle to 15 mm long; pedicels 5–15 mm long. Calyx 4–10 mm long; lobes oblong to obovate, 2.5–5.5 mm long. Corolla rotate-pentagonal, 25–40 mm diam., purple. Anthers 4–6 mm long.

Berry globular, 5–10 mm diam., pale yellow. Seeds 1–2 mm long, dark brown. n=12.

Distribution and ecology

Occurs in drier parts of south-western W.A. on slopes and plains in gravelly or sandy soils.

Relationships

Part of the S. esuriale group of subgen. Leptostemonum according to Bean (2004).

Notes

Suspected of poisoning stock.

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Selected specimens

W.A.: N of Borden, A.M. Ashby 1935 (PERTH); 16 km S of Northampton, R. Melville 4194 & J. Calaby (MEL); N of Geraldton, D.E. Symon 5450 (ADW, CANB, NSW, PERTH).

From the web

Further information and images can be found on the FloraBase site.

The S. oldfieldii treatment has yet to be done on the Solanaceae Source site.