Solanum mauritianum
Scop. Tobacco-bushShrub or small tree to 4 m high, green or grey-green, densely pubescent with stellate hairs; hairs loose and tufted on young growth; prickles absent. Leaves elliptic, 9–30 cm long, 3.5–14 cm wide, slightly discolorous, apex acuminate, base cuneate, margins entire to slightly undulate, upper surface green and sparsely pubescent, lower surface grey-tomentose; petiole 3–9 cm long, often with 1 or 2 small sessile leaflets in axil. Inflorescences branched many-flowered corymbs; primary peduncle 3–15 cm long. Flowers on pedicels 2–3 mm long; calyx 4–6 mm long, lobes triangular, 1.5–3 mm long, enlarging slightly in fruit; corolla stellate, 15–25 mm diam., violet; anthers 2–3 mm long. Berry globose, 10–15 mm diam., dull yellow, pubescent, glabrescent with age; seeds 1.5–2 mm long, light brown or yellowish. Flowers autumn–spring.
Wim, VVP, VRiv, GipP, OtP, CVU, EGL, HSF, Strz. Also naturalised SA, Qld, NSW. Native to South America. Becoming increasingly common as a weed of gullies and other moist sites in both disturbed and intact native vegetation (e.g. Leongatha, suburban Melbourne, Stratford, Warburton).
Jeanes, J.A. (1999). Solanaceae. In: Walsh, N.G.; Entwisle, T.J., Flora of Victoria Vol. 4, Cornaceae to Asteraceae, pp. 332–365. Inkata Press, Melbourne.
Spinning
