Solanum opacum

A.Braun & Bouché Dark Nightshade
Index Sem. Hort. Berol. App. 8: 18, no. 39 (1853)
Taxonomic status Accepted
Occurrence status Present
Origin Native
Degree of establishment Native

Sprawling or almost prostrate annual herb to 1 m across, green, pubescent with small glandular and simple hairs; prickles absent. Leaves ovate-lanceolate, mostly 3–7 cm long, 1–4 cm wide, apex acute or acuminate, base cuneate to attenuate, margins usually shallowly lobed, concolorous, both surfaces sparsely pubescent to glabrescent; petiole 1–4 cm long. Inflorescences simple, 2–5-flowered; peduncle 1.5–2 cm long, deflexed from base in fruit. Flowers on pedicels 7–10 mm long; calyx 2–3 mm long, lobes rounded to broad-triangular, 0.5–1 mm long, slightly enlarged in fruit; corolla stellate, 8–12 mm diam., white, lobes ovate to oblong; anthers 1.5–2 mm long. Berry globose, 8–10 mm diam., green; seeds 1.8–2.2 mm long, fawn and green; stone-cell granules c. 0.8 mm diam. Flowers mostly spring and summer.

LoM, MuM, Wim, VVP, MSB, RobP, GipP, OtP, EGL, EGU, HSF, HNF, OtR, Strz, MonT. Also SA, Qld, NSW, Tas. New Guinea. Found in more mesic habitats (e.g. wetter tall open forest) mostly in eastern Victoria with a few scattered collections from the west and north-west.

Source:

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.

Updated by: Val Stajsic, 18 Jun. 2018
Solanum opacum (hero image) Spinning
Solanum opacum (distribution map) Spinning