Group characteristics

Erect shrubs with usually entire or shallowly lobed adult leaves. Stem prickles and branchlet prickles straight, not widened at base. Stellate hairs present at least on stems and floral parts. Inflorescences not branched. Flowers bisexual, all of similar size, 5-merous, white, mauve or purple. Calyx without prickles. Corolla lobes without hairs on inner face. Stamens with anthers all of similar size. Ovary glabrous, with multicellular glandular hairs only or with a mixture of glandular and stellate hairs, rarely with stellate hairs only. Mature fruits red, usually juicy, 1-locular, 3.5-17 mm diameter; calyx lobes less than half length of mature fruit.

Distribution

17 species endemic in Australia.

Australian members of group

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

S. chenopodinum

S. corifolium

S. defensum

S. discolor

S. dissectum

S. dryanderense

S. dysprosium

S. ferocissimum

S. fervens

S. inaequilaterum

S. latens

S. lythrocarpum

S. mentiens

S. parvifolium

S. shirleyanaum

S. stelligerum

S. yirrkalense

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.