Solanum dimorphispinum C.T.White

White, C.T. (1939) Proceedings of the Royal Society of Queensland 50: 82. Type: Queensland, Mount Spurgeon, Sept. 1936, C.T. White 10619; holo: BRI.

Nightshade

Usually flowers and fruits as a weak-stemmed shrub or scrambler about 2-5 m tall.

Curved spines about 5 mm long usually present on the twigs. Straight spines about 7-9 mm long sometimes present on the petioles and both the upper and lower surfaces of the leaf blade. Petioles and underside of the leaf blade densely clothed in stellate hairs. These stellate hairs lack a large vertical central spine. Leaf blades about 8.5-17 x 3.7-10 cm. Upper surface of the leaf blade sparsely clothed in stellate hairs. Petiole grooved or channelled on the upper surface. Leaves sometimes produced in pairs but both leaves appear to be on the same side of the twig.

Inflorescence up to 12-flowered. Pedicels about 10-15 mm long. Calyx about 5-6 mm long, lobes about 3-5 mm long, outer surface clothed in stellate hairs. Corolla about 15-35 mm diam., outer surface clothed in stellate hairs. Anthers about 7-8 mm long. Style clothed in pale stellate hairs.

Fruits globular, about 15-20 mm diam. Seeds numerous, about 2-2.5 mm long. Embryo coiled, cotyledons no wider than the radicle.

Cotyledons lanceolate, about 6-7 x 3 mm on long petioles about 4 mm long. First pair of leaves alternate, ovate, clothed in scattered simple and stellate hairs, petioles long and slender. At the tenth leaf stage: leaf blade margin very coarsely toothed or lobed. Stem, petiole and both the upper and lower surfaces of the leaf blade clothed in stellate hairs and straight spines. Seed germination time 12 to 19 days.

Endemic to NEQ, known only from the Mt Spurgeon-Mt Lewis area. Altitudinal range from 770-1250 m, perhaps up to 1400 m. Grows in disturbed areas in well developed mountain rain forest.