Synonymy

Solanum papaverifolium Symon, Trans. Roy. Soc. S. Austral. 95: 233; fig. 8 (1971)

T: `Maneroo', Graman, c. 56 km NW of Inverell, N.S.W., 11 June 1969, V.N. Gidley s.n.; holo: NSW; iso: AD, BRI, CANB, K, MEL.

S. hystrix auct. non R.Br.: auctt. pre 1939 publications.

Description

Erect or sprawling, clonal, perennial herb with annual stems to 30 cm, green, glabrous except for minute glandular hairs on young growth; prickles to 5 mm long, abundant on stems, leaves, pedicels and calyx.

Leaves ovate; lamina 4–7 cm long, 3–5 cm wide, concolorous, deeply lobed; lobes 1–2 cm long, the margin toothed or lobed; petiole 10–15 mm long, sometimes to 30 mm.

Inflorescence 1–6–flowered; peduncle 1–6 cm long; rachis 1–2 cm long, pedicels 1–2 cm long. Calyx 5–8 mm long; lobes lanceolate, 3–5 mm long. Corolla stellate, 20 mm diam., purple. Anthers 3.5–4 mm long.

Berry depressed globular, 10–12 mm diam., greenish-yellow with faint green stripes. Seeds not known.

A more comprehensive description of this species can be found at http://delta-intkey.com/solanum/www/papaveri.htm

Distribution and ecology

Occurs predominantly in the Darling Downs District of south-eastern Qld and the Northern Slopes District of N.S.W., generally on heavy clay in grassland or eucalypt woodland.

Since it grows in areas more usually utilised for farming, it has been treated as a weed in the past; it is now recorded as a threatened species in Queensland.

Flowers October to March; fruits November to April.

Relationships

Part of the S. hystrix group of subgen. Leptostemonum according to Bean (2004).

Notes

Petioles in this species have a narrow strip of green tissue running along their length and are sometimes described as winged.

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Derivation of epithet

From Papaver, Latin for poppy and folium, Latin for leaf, a reference to poppy-shaped leaves.

Selected specimens

Qld: Dalby, 16 Apr. 1952, Land Ranger (BRI). N.S.W.: Moree, 18 May 1971, G. Strange (NSW).

Plant status, if any

Currently known from only three locations, this species is listed as endangered under the Queensland Nature Conservation Act, 1992 but is not mentioned in the New South Wales Threatened Species list, accessible at www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/npws.nsf/Content/Threatened+Species+Search. Bean (2004) notes that the most recent collection from NSW was from Moree in 1982.

From the web

Images of this species can be accessed through http://delta-intkey.com/solanum/www/papaveri.htm

Further information on this species in NSW can be seen on the PlantNET site.

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