Solanum parvifolium R.Br. subsp. parvifolium

Solanaceae

Bean, A.R. (2004) Austrobaileya 6(4): 699-700.

Nightshade

Usually flowers and fruits as a shrub about 1 m tall but also flowers when smaller.

Twigs, petioles and both the upper and lower surfaces of the leaf blade armed with spines about 4-10 mm long. Stellate hairs present on the younger twigs and petioles. Leaf blades densely stellate hairy on the lower surface but less hairy on the upper surface. Leaf blades about 3-6 x 0.6-1 cm, petioles about 0.3-0.5 cm long.

Pedicels about 5-10 mm long. Calyx and corolla clothed in stellate hairs. Calyx about 3-4 mm long, lobes about 1-2 mm long. Corolla about 10-15 mm diam., lobes about 6-7 mm long. Stamens about 3-5 mm long. Ovary about 1 mm long. Style about 5 mm long. Ovules numerous.

Fruits globular, about 5-9 mm diam., calyx lobes persistent at the base. Pedicels about 13 mm long. Seeds numerous, about 2-2.5 mm long. Embryo coiled with the cotyledons in the middle.

Features not available.

Endemic to Australia, occurs in CEQ and southwards as far as southern New South Wales. Altitudinal range in NEQ from 200-500 m. Usually grows in open eucalypt forest but also found in monsoon forest and vine thickets.

Solanum parvifolium R.Br., Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae : 446(1810), Type: Queensland, Broad Sound, R. Brown s.n.; lecto: BM; iso: K, MPU. Fide D. E. Symon, J. Adelaide Bot. Gard. 4: 132 (1981). Solanum angustum Domin, Bibliotheca Botanica 89(4): 1142(1928), Type: Queensland, Walsh River, near Chillagoe, Feb. 1910, Domin 8310; holo: PR.