Drawing by W.A.Smith reproduced with permission from Austrobaileya 6: 791 (2004), fig. 42.  Illustrations based on Bean 18423 (BRI).

Distribution map generated from Australia's Virtual Herbarium. For a more up to date map visit the AVH site through your local herbarium.

Synonymy

Solanum ammophilum A.R.Bean, Austrobaileya 6: 789 (2004).

T: Qld, 73 km from Charleville towards Bollon, 28 Jan 2002, A.R.Bean 18423; holo: BRI; iso: AD, CANB, DNA, MEL, MO, NSW. an image of the type specimen can be seen at http://delta-intkey.com/solanum/images/Sol_ammop.jpg

S. coactiliferum auct. non J.M.Black: Symon, J. Adelaide Bot. Gard. 165 (1981), p.p. (at least as to McKee 10366 and some specimens with 4-merous flowers).

Description

Erect, herbaceous resprouter, 0.2-0.4 m high. Juvenile stage absent. Adult branchlets white, grey or yellow; prickles absent or present, 0-10 per dm, straight, broad-based, 1.5-5 mm long, 5-7 times longer than wide; stellae dense to very dense, 0.3-0.5 mm diameter, sessile; lateral rays 8-13, porrect; central ray absent or present, 0-0.3 times as long as laterals, not gland-tipped; finger hairs absent; Type 2 hairs dense.

Adult leaves linear or narrow lanceolate, entire; lamina 2-7 cm long, 0.3-0.7 cm wide, 6-10 times longer than broad, apex obtuse, base cuneate, oblique part 0-1 mm long, obliqueness index 0-3 percent; petioles 0.3-0.8 cm long, 10-17% length of lamina, prickles absent. Upper leaf surface grey-green; prickles absent; stellate hairs distributed throughout; proto-stellae absent; ordinary stellae dense, 0.1-0.2 mm apart, 0.2-0.5 mm across, sessile; lateral rays 8-10, porrect; central ray 0-0.3 times as long as laterals, not gland-tipped; finger hairs absent; Type 2 hairs present throughout, 0.1-0.2 mm apart. Lower leaf surface white; prickles absent; stellae dense to very dense, 0.05-0.1 mm apart, 0.4-0.8 mm diameter, stalks 0-0.1 mm long; lateral rays 8-10, porrect; central ray 0-0.3 times as long as laterals, not gland-tipped; finger hairs absent; Type 2 hairs present throughout, 0.05-0.1 mm apart.

Inflorescence leaf-opposed or supra-axillary, solitary or pseudo-racemose, common peduncle absent, rachis prickles absent; 1 or 2-flowered, with all flowers bisexual and 4-merous; pedicels 5-17 mm long at anthesis, same thickness throughout, 0.8-1.1 mm thick at mid-point, prickles absent. Calyx tube 2.5-4 mm long, lobes deltate, 2.5-6 mm long; prickles absent at anthesis; stellae very dense, white, 0.4-0.6 mm across, stalks 0-0.1 mm long, lateral rays 8-11, central ray 0.2-0.8 times as long as laterals, not gland-tipped; finger hairs absent; Type 2 hairs absent. Corolla purple, 7-15 mm long, deeply lobed, inner surface glabrous; anthers 4.5-7.5 mm long; ovary with white glandular papillae; functional style 8-11.5 mm long, erect, with white glandular papillae.

Fruiting calyx with lobes less than or more than half length of mature fruit, prickles absent. Mature fruits 1 or 2 per inflorescence, oblate or globular, c. 13 mm diameter, yellowish-green, 2-locular; placenta in cross-section sessile, elliptical; mesocarp moist but not juicy; exocarp 0.7-0.9 mm thick; pedicels 9-18 mm long in fruit, 0.8-1.1 mm thick at mid-point; seeds pale yellow, 2.8-3 mm long.

Bean's description reproduced, with permission, from Austrobaileya 6: 789 (2004).

Another detailed description of this species can be seen in Bean's interactive key to the eastern Australian species of Solanum at http://delta-intkey.com/solanum/www/ammophil.htm

Distribution and ecology

Found near Charleville and Cunumulla in SW Qld and near Bourke in NW NSW.

Relationships

Part of the S. esuriale group of subgen. Leptostemonum (Bean 2004).

Previously treated as part of S. coactiliferum by Symon (1981) and most closely related to this widespread species. Symon was probably referring to this species when he referred to a "rather narrow-leafed form from south western Qld which may also occur occasionally in N.T."

The two species differ by

Notes

According to Bean (2004) the white glandular papillae on the ovary and style persist in fruit, giving them a sticky feel. This characteristic is unknown in other Qld species, but its occurrence outside Qld has still to be documented.

Top

Derivation of epithet

From the Greek ammo-, of the sand, and -philus, loving,  a reference to the preferred sandier soils of this species.

Selected specimens

QLD: WARREGO DISTRICT: ‘Gilruth Plains’, E of Cunnamulla, May 1939, Blake 14062 (BRI); ‘Glenbar’, c. 42 [miles?] SE of Charleville, Apr 1948, Everist 3395 (BRI, CANB); ‘Gilruth Plains’, Apr 1963, McKee 10366 (BRI); 22 miles [35 km] E of Cunnamulla on road to Bollon, Sep 1963, Phillips 534 (BRI); Top Cane paddock, ‘Gilruth Plains’, Cunnamulla, Apr 1967, Barker 784 (CANB). MARANOA DISTRICT: ‘Dingwall’, c. 90 miles [145 km] SSE of Charleville, Jul 1948, Everist 3483 (BRI); ‘Calabah’, 75 miles [121 km] SE of Charleville, Mar 1962, Ebersohn (BRI); c. 21 km W of Boatman road, ENE of Cunnamulla, Dec 1998, Bean 14485 (BRI, MEL); 73 km from Charleville towards Bollon, Jan 2002, Bean 18426 (AD, BRI, CANB); 70 km from Charleville towards Bollon, Jan 2002, Bean 18434 (BRI, MEL); 64 km from Charleville towards Bollon, Jan 2002, Bean 18440 (BRI).

NSW: NORTH WEST PLAINS: Bourke district, Jan 1951, Darley 15 (NSW); ‘Widgee Downs’, Weilmoringle, Jun 1967, Jensen B6 (NSW); 32 miles [52 km] N of Bourke on Mitchell Highway, Apr 1977, Moore 7502 (CANB); ‘Lila Springs’, c. 25 km SSE of Enngonia, Feb 1978, Barker 424 (NSW).

Specimens cited by Bean (2004).

From the web

An image of the type specimen of S. ammophilum can be seen on Bean's interactive key site at http://delta-intkey.com/solanum/images/Sol_ammop.jpg

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