Fig. 38, S. dunalianum, J. Adelaide Bot Gard. 4: 119 (1981) by M. Szent-Ivanyi.

Part of line drawing of S. tetrandum by M. Szent Ivany in J. Adelaide Bot. Gard. 4 (1981) 121, fig. 39.

Group characteristics

Large shrubs or small trees with entire adult leaves. Stem prickles sparse, broad-based; branchlet prickles absent. Stellate hairs present only in young parts and on floral parts. Inflorescences branched. Flowers bisexual, all of similar size, 4- or 5-merous, white, mauve or purple. Calyx without prickles. Corolla lobes sparsely to densely hairy on inner face. Stamens with anthers all of similar size. Ovary glabrous, with multicellular glandular hairs only, or with stellate hairs only. Mature fruits red, juicy, 1-locular, less than 9 mm diameter; calyx lobes less than half the length of the mature fruit.

Distribution

About 15 species from Malesia through to the W Pacific; 3 species in Australia with a 4th, S. bauerianum from Lord Howe and Norfolk Islands, now presumed to be extinct.

Note

Symon (1981) included these species within Sect. Irenosolanum Seithe. Whalen (1984) and Bean (2004) both included the same three species 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

Australian members of group

Members of the S. dunalianum group of Solanum subgenus Leptostemonum (Bean 2004).

S. bauerianum (extinct, Lord Howe and Norfolk Islands))

S. dunalianum

S. tetrandum

S. viridifolium

See Bean, A.R. (2004). The taxonomy and ecology of Solanum subg. Leptostemonum (Dunal)Bitter (Solanaceae) in Queensland and far north-eastern New South Wales, Australia. Austrobaileya 6: 639-816.