Solanum heterantherum
Citation:
Anal. Univ. Chile 124: 446. 1909.
Type:
Based on Witheringia tomentosa Remy.
Last edited by:
Bennett, J.
Written by:
Bennett, J.
Habit:
Perennial, probably erect shrub up to 60 cm tall. Stems pale brown, woody, densely pubescent, the hairs simple, uniseriate, unicellular or multicellular, up to 0.5 mm long, glabrescent.
Sympodial structure:
Sympodial units unifoliate, not geminate.
Leaves:
Leaves simple, the blades 2.0–4.5 (–5.5) x 0.4–2.3 cm, 2.0–4.2 (–5.0) times as long as wide, ovate to oblong, texture unknown, grey-green, densely tomentose adaxially and abaxially with erect, simple, uniseriate, unicellular or multicellular hairs up to 0.5 mm long; base cuneate; margin regularly lobed with 3–5 (–7) pairs of lobes, usually with a smaller secondary lobe arising obliquely at the base of the apical side of the primary lobe, the primary lobes 2–10 x 0.5–3 mm, the basal and apical sides of lobes straight or concave, the primary lobe apex obtuse to rounded; petioles absent.
Inflorescences:
Inflorescences 4–10 cm long, leaf opposed, branched 2–3 times, with (1–) 4–7 flowers, all flowers perfect, the axes moderately to densely pubescent with simple, uniseriate, multicellular hairs up to 1 mm long; peduncle 1.3–9.0 cm; pedicels 8–17 (–25) mm at anthesis, not accrescent in fruit, spaced 6–8 mm apart in fruit, articulated at the base.
Flowers:
Flowers with the calyx 5–6 mm long, the tube 1–1.5 mm, the lobes equal, 3.5–6.9 (–10.0) x 1.2–3.0 (–5.0) mm, not accrescent in fruit, ovate to oblong, the apex rounded to obtuse, moderately to densely pubescent adaxially and abaxially with simple, uniseriate, unicellular or multicellular hairs up to 1 mm long. Corolla 2.8–3.1 cm in diameter, pentagonal, chartaceous, white, blue or purple, the tube 1–1.5 mm long, the lobes 7–15 x 8–23 mm, moderately pubescent abaxially, densely so towards apices with white, simple, uniseriate, unicellular or multicellular hairs up to 1 mm long, glabrous adaxially. Stamens 5, unequal with two longer and three shorter; filament tube 1–2 mm, glabrous; filaments unequal, the longer pair 3–3.5 mm, the shorter 1–1.5 mm; anthers unequal, the longer pair 6.5–8.5 x 1.5 mm, the shorter 5–5.8 x 1.5–1.7 mm, narrowly ovate to lanceolate, strongly tapering in width towards the apex, yellow, not connivent, usually with purple longitudinal markings, poricidal at the tips, the pores directed laterally and opening into longitudinal slits with age. Ovary glabrous; style 8.5–9.5 x 0.2–0.4 mm, cylindrical, straight, the lower half pubescent with simple, uniseriate, unicellular hairs up to 0.2 mm long; stigma globose, 0.8–0.9 mm diameter.
Fruits:
Fruit 6–9 mm in diameter, globose, glabrous, the colour unknown, stone cells absent.
Seeds:
Seeds 1.4–2.0 x 1.0–1.8 mm, flattened, shiny, glabrous, dark brown to black, the surface deeply pitted.
Distribution:
Endemic to Chile [Regions III (Atacama), IV (Coquimbo) and V (Valparaíso)]. On dunes and sandy lomas, 10 – 120 m in elevation.
Phenology:
Flowers August to January.
Phylogeny:
This species belongs to the Regmandra clade of Bohs (2005), an isolated clade within the non-spiny solanums.
References:
Bohs, L. 2005. Major clades in Solanum based on ndhF sequences.
Pp. 27-49 in R. C. Keating, V. C. Hollowell, & T. B. Croat (eds.), A festschrift for William G. D’Arcy: the legacy of a taxonomist. Monographs in Systematic Botany from the Missouri Botanical Garden, Vol. 104. Missouri Botanical Garden Press, St. Louis.
Solanum heterantherum is most similar to S. edmonstonei Hook.f., but may be distinguished by the unequal lengths of the stamens. From other Chilean species of section Regmandra, it may be distinguished by the lobed, densely pubescent leaves, often greyish in appearance, which are usually much smaller than those of S. pinnatum Cav.
The epithet heterantherum is here retained pending a decision by the Botanical Nomenclature committee as to whether S. heterantherum is sufficiently similar to an earlier name, S. heteranthera Willd. (currently regarded as a synonym of S. nitidum Ruiz & Pavon), in which case a new name will need to be found.