Synonymy

Solanum multiglochidiatum Domin, Biblioth. Bot. 89: 586 (1929)

T: near Mungana, Qld, Feb. 1910, Domin s.n.; ?PR, not located by Symon (1981) or Bean (2004).

Description

Sprawling, clonal, herbaceous perennial herb with stems to 25 cm long, green or yellow-green, sparsely pubescent with stellate hairs, the upper leaf-surface almost glabrous except along main veins; prickles to 6 mm long, scattered to abundant on most parts.

Leaves ovate; lamina 5–10 cm long, 3–8 cm wide, concolorous, undulate to shallowly lobed; petiole 1–2 cm long.

Inflorescence few–10–flowered; peduncle 2–4 cm long; rachis 1–5 cm long; pedicels 8–15 mm long. Calyx 5–8 mm long; lobes narrowly triangular, 3–5 mm long, slightly longer in fruit. Corolla broadly stellate to rotate, 25–40 mm diam., pale lavender-blue. Anthers 6–7 mm long.

Berry 15–20 mm diam., pale yellow-green when ripe; fruiting calyx-lobes to 1 cm long. Seeds 3–3.5 mm diam., pale buff or yellow. n=24.

Distribution and ecology

Known by only 1 or 2 specimens from the Cook District of northern Qld when Symon revised Solanum (Symon 1981). Now Bean (2004) records it as occurring from Lakeland Downs to Forty Mile Scrub.

Bean also records it from clay-loam soils in woodland dominated by Eucalyptus cullenii, E. leptophleba or E. dallachiana, with fl owering Jan-March; fruiting Jan-May.

Relationships

Considered by Bean (2004) to be a member of the S. hystrix group of subgen. Leptostemonum.

Selected specimens

Qld: 24 km W of Petford, D.E. Symon 4873 (AD, BRI, CANB, NSW).

As cited Flora of Australia 29: 154 (1982), and the only specimen known at that time.

Qld: COOK DISTRICT: 24 km W of Petford and c. 48 km SE of Chillagoe, May 1967, Symon 4873 (AD, BRI, CANB, K, L, NSW); Palmer River, Feb 1978, Hinton 61 (BRI); Holmes Creek, 3.5 km WNW of Mt Carbine, Jan 1984, Clarkson 5105 (AD, BRI, CANB, K, MEL, MO, QRS); 12.6 km SE of Mt Janet, 11.5 km SW of Lakeland Downs township, Jan 1986, Clarkson 6293 (AD, BRI, DNA, PERTH, QRS); 9 km SW of Lakeland Downs township, Jan 1986, Clarkson 6298 (AD, BRI); 4 km SE of Chillagoe, Jan 1996, Gray 6506 (QRS); 4.7 km from Walsh River crossing, N of Chillagoe, Mar 2000, McDonald KRM335 (BRI); 14 km W of Chillagoe, Apr 2002, Bean 18734 & McDonald (BRI). NORTH KENNEDY DISTRICT: 40 Mile Scrub, [SW of Mt Garnet], Mar 1989, Sankowsky 979 & Sankowsky (BRI).

Specimens cited by Bean (2004), indicating increased knowledge of the species.

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Plant status, if any

This species is listed as rare under the Queensland Nature Conservation Act, 1992.

From the web

Further information and links for this species can be found on the Solanaceae Source site.