Solanum inaequiradians Werderm.

Solanaceae, Jennifer M Edmonds. Oliganthes, Melongena & Monodolichopus, Maria S. Vorontsova & Sandra Knapp. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 2012

Type

Type: Tanzania, Morogoro District, Uluguru Mts, NW side, Schlieben 2707 (B!, holo.; BM!, BR!, LISC!, M, P!, S, Z, iso.)

Morphology General

Scandent or climbing subshrub to 2 m, armed; young stems densely stellatepubescent, trichomes porrect, reddish-translucent, mostly subsessile, stalks up to 0.15 mm, rays ± 8, 0.1–0.2 mm, midpoints (0.5–)1.5–2.5(–3) mm; prickles curved, 2–4 mm long, 0.8–1(–3) mm wide at base, round to slightly flattened

Morphology Leaves

Leaf blades drying discolorous, yellow-green, ovate, 7–10(–13) × 3.5–4.5(–6) cm, ± 2 times longer than wide, base truncate to cuneate, usually equal, margin lobed to almost entire, the lobes 2–4 on each side, deltate to rounded, up to 10 mm long, apically rounded to acute, extending up to 1/3(–1/2) of the distance to the midvein; apex acute or somewhat long-acuminate; stellate-pubescent on both sides, trichomes on abaxial surface porrect, sessile or shortly stalked, stalks to 0.15 mm, rays 6–8, 0.2–0.35 mm, midpoints 1–2 mm, adaxially with bulbous bases, rays usually absent, midpoints 1.5–2.5 mm long; primary veins 4–5 pairs; petiole 1–2.5 cm, 1/4–1/5 of the leaf length

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescences not branched, 3–5 cm long, with 1–4 flowers; peduncle absent; rachis ± 1.5 cm long, with 0–2 prickles; pedicels ± 0.8 cm long in flower, in fruit 2–2.5 cm long, with 0–15 prickles

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers largely perfect, 5-merous

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx 7–9 mm long, lobes narrowly deltate, 4–6 mm long, thin-acuminate, with 0–10 prickles

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla mauve to purple, 1.7–2 cm in diameter, lobed for ± 4/5 of its length, lobes oblong, ± 10 × 2–1.5 mm

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens equal; anthers ± 7 mm

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary

Ovary not known; style ± 12 mm long

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Berries 1–2 per infructescence, striped when young, red at maturity, often elongate when young, 12–14 mm in diameter; fruiting calyx 10–12 mm long

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds 2.8–3.2 × 2.5–2.8 mm

Ecology

Forest understorey; 1100–2000 m

Note

Solanum inaequiradians is a rare high altitude forest endemic of the Uluguru Mountains, recognised by its long-attenuate calyx lobes exceeding the corolla in bud and growing to 7–9 mm long in flower and 10–12 mm long in fruit, ovate discolorous yellow-green leaves with deltate lobes and attenuate apices, and dense trichomes with elongated midpoints 1.5–3 mm (rarely 0.5 mm) long on all surfaces of the plant.

Distribution

Flora districts: T6 Range: Endemic to Uluguru Mts