Synonymy
Solanum bauerianum Endl., Prodr. Fl. Norfolk. 54 (1833).
T: "Crescit in insula Norfolk, Octobri florens. (Ferd. Bauer.)"; holo: W; iso: K (fide Green 1994).
Bauer's own drawing of this species still exists in Vienna and has recently been translated into a colour portrait using Bauer's original notations (see Mabberley et al. 2007, citation below).
Description
See P.S. Green’s original description of this species in the Flora of Australia 49: 300-301.
Another description can be seen on the PlantNet site together with an image of a herbarium collection.
Distribution and ecology
Endemic to Norfolk and Lord Howe Islands, but now assumed to be extinct.
Common name
Bridal Flower (Lord Howe Island).
Relationships
Considered to be part of Sect. Irenosolanum Seithe together with S. dunalianum, S. tetrandrum and S. viridifolium. All are found in the Pacific islands, PNG and northern Australia. All are shrubs or small trees, usually unarmed, have large entire leaves, are glabrous or with only sparse stellate hairs, tapering anthers and red berries. At first glance they may not appear to be members of subg. Leptostemonum since the stellate hairs and prickles are often only present in young parts.
Whalen (1984) and Bean (2004) both included S. dunalianum, S. tetrandrum and S. viridifolium within the Dunalianum group of subg. Leptostemonum; none of these species was included in the molecular analysis of the relationships of the species of subg. Leptostemonum conducted by Levin et al.(2006). The group is presently the subject of study for a project at the New York Botanic Gardens by Donald McClelland.
Notes
Already considered to be extinct on Norfolk Island by 1914 when Laing recorded that it had apparently not been collected since Bauer's collection in 1804-5. Green (1994) recorded Allan Cunningham as the last to collect the species from there in 1830 (specimen in K).
S. bauerianum was still to be found on Lord Howe in 1949 but there have been no later records than this. A discussion concerning the possibilities of the reintroduction of extinct plants and animals to Lord Howe Island can be found in Hutton et al. (2007).
References: Green, P.S. (1994). Solanum bauerianum in Flora of Australia 49: 300-301; Hutton,
Derivation of epithet
Named after Ferdinand Lucas Bauer (1760–1826), botanical artist with Robert Brown on Matthew Flinders' Australian voyage of exploration (1801–1803). After the voyage was completed both Bauer and Brown remained in Australia until 1805 and Bauer collected and illustrated on Norfolk Is. during this time.
Selected specimens
Norfolk Is.: s. loc., F.L.Bauer (K, W); s. loc., G.Caley (W); s. loc., A.Cunningham (K). Lord Howe Is.:
As cited by P.S.Green (1994).
Plant status, if any
Considered to be extinct on both Lord Howe and Norfolk Islands.
From the web
See Mabberley et al. (2007) for a colour rendition of this species by Marion Westmacott based on Ferdinand Bauer’s illustration still held in the Naturhistorisches Museum in
See also the National Library of Australia for a watercolour painting of the fruiting plant by Adam Forster in June 1925
Reference: Mabberley, D., Pignatti-Wikus, E. & Riedl-Dorn, C. (2007). An extinct tree ‘revived’. With an illustration, based on Ferdinand Bauer’s materials, by Marion Westmacott. Curtis’s Botanical Magazine 24: 190-195.