Solanum oligacanthum

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Solanum oligacanthum
Solanum Oligacanthum-Marja Bouman.jpg
Shrubs full extent
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Solanales
Family: Solanaceae
Genus: Solanum
Species:
S. oligacanthum
Binomial name
Solanum oligacanthum
Solanum Oligacanthum Distribution Map Australia.jpg
Distribution within Australia based on data provided from Atlas of Living Australia [2]

Solanum oligacanthum is a species of herbaceous perennial herb or subshrub which is spread throughout central east Australia (South-West Queensland, North-West New South Wales, and North-East South Australia). [3] This species is often found in seasonally flooded creek channels, flats and lagoons, and commonly referred to as desert nightshade. [3] [4]

Contents

Description

Solanum oligacanthum is an erect, colonial, herbacious perennial species. [3] It grows up to 1 m (3 ft 3 in) in heaight. This species is of pale grey-green colour, resulting from densely pubescent stellate hairs up to 16 mm (0.63 in) long.

Its leaves are broadly ovate, [5] 7–20 mm (0.28–0.79 in) wide and long, with the apex obtuse and rounded, and the base obtuse to cordate.

The corollas is purple and rotate (20–25 mm (0.79–0.98 in) diameter), containing the yellow [6] anthers arranged in the centre forming a cone-like structure. [7]

Its seeds are 4–5 mm (0.16–0.20 in) long, black or dark-brownish in colour.

Ecology

Solanum oligacanthum grows in arid shrub lands within Australia. [8] New growth occurs in spring, and most top growth dies down over winter leaving dead stubble.

This species, like most Solanum, pollinates through a process known as buzz pollination. [6]

It is classified as a weed within some parts of South Australia. [5]

Distribution and conservation status

Desert nightshade is distributed predominately within central eastern Australia, spread between South-West Queensland, North-West New South Wales, and North-East South Australia, with some being found on the Eastern Coast of South Australia as well. [3] There is no conservation status listed for Solanum oligacanthum [9] so it is assumed this species conservation is of low-concern.

References

  1. ↑ "Solanum oligacanthum F.Muell". www.gbif.org. Retrieved 2024-06-21.
  2. ↑ "Search: species: Solanum oligacanthum | Occurrence records | Atlas of Living Australia". biocache.ala.org.au. Retrieved 2024-06-17.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Alexander, George (1982). "Solanaceae" (PDF). Floral of Australia. 29.
  4. ↑ "Species: Solanum oligacanthum (Desert Nightshade)".
  5. 1 2 Walsh, Nevlille (February 10, 2021). "Flora of Victoria". VicFlora.
  6. 1 2 Vallejo-Marín, Mario; Pereira Nunes, Carlos Eduardo; Russell, Avery Leigh (1 May 2022). "Anther cones increase pollen release in buzz-pollinated Solanum flowers". Evolution. 76 (5): 931–945. doi:10.1111/evo.14485. ISSN   0014-3820. PMC   9313847 . PMID   35324004.
  7. ↑ Faegri, Knut (January 1986). "The solanoid flower". Transactions of the Botanical Society of Edinburgh. 45 (sup1): 51–59. doi:10.1080/03746608608684993. ISSN   0374-6607.
  8. ↑ "Conservation Management Zones of Australia: Arid Shrublands and Desert".
  9. ↑ "Species Profile and Threats Database". Australian Government – Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment, and Water.
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