Photo: D.E. Symon 1746 © D.E. Symon

Line drawing by M. Szent Ivany, J. Adelaide Bot. Gard. 4 (1981) 203, fig. 84.

Sketch of mature fruits by D. E. Symon, J. Adelaide Bot. Gard. 4 (1981).

Distribution map generated from Australia's Virtual Herbarium. Treated by Bean (2004) as part of S. echinatum.

Synonymy

Solanum seitheae Symon, J. Adelaide Bot. Gard. 4: 201; figs 82, 84 (1981)

T: 116 km SW of Normanton, Qld, 29 May 1967, D.E. Symon 4959; holo: AD: ADW 33274; iso: B, BRI, CANB, K, NSW, US.

Note that Bean (2004) treats this taxon as part of S. echinatum .

Description

Sprawling, perennial sub-shrub to 60 cm high and 2 m wide, grey-green, densely pubescent with stellate hairs; prickles 5–6 mm long, scattered to abundant on stems, petioles, peduncles and calyx, rare or absent elsewhere.

Leaves ovate; lamina 4–13 cm long, 3–9 cm wide, slightly discolorous, shallowly lobed; petiole to 5 cm long.

Inflorescence up to 8–flowered; peduncle to 5 cm long; rachis to 5 cm long; pedicels 1–2 cm long. Calyx 8–11 mm long; lobes triangular, 4–6 mm long; tube enlarged in fruit. Corolla broadly stellate to rotate, 25–30 mm diam., violet-blue. Anthers 4–6 mm long. Fruiting calyx 20–25 mm diam.

Berry depressed globular, 10–15 mm diam., pale yellow-green when ripe, drying pale brown. Seeds 2.5 mm long, dark brown. n=12.

Distribution and ecology

Occurs in north-western Qld and adjacent areas in N.T., and on theWessel Islands, N.T.

Usually associated with rocky or gravelly outcrops.

Relationships

S. seitheae is closely related to S. echinatum R. Br. and Bean (2004) did not consider them to be distinct; if they are to be distinguished then S. sietheae has a sub-shrubby habit and larger size, greyish tomentum and larger fruiting calyx.

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

Notes

Top

Selected specimens

N.T.: Nicholson River area, T.S. Henshall 275 (AD, DNA, NT). Qld: 60 km E of Mt Isa, Qld, J. Swan 117 (AD, BRI).

Plant status, if any

Conservation status as a plant of least concern in theNorthern Territory – see www.nt.gov.au/nreta/wildlife/animals/native/pdf/plants_lcs-z.pdf