Solanum reitzii L.B.Sm. & Downs

Authority

Knapp, Sandra D. 2002. section (Solanaceae). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 84: 1-404. (Published by NYBG Press)

Family

Solanaceae

Scientific Name

Solanum reitzii L.B.Sm. & Downs

Type

Type. Brazil. Santa Catarina: Alto Matador, Mun. Rio do Sul, pinhal, 800 m, 30 Dec 1958, Reitz 4092 (holotype, US; isotypes, HBR, NY-n.v.).

Description

Species Description - Small trees to 8 m tall; young stems and leaves densely tomentose with uniseriate golden curl-tipped trichomes 0.5-1 mm long, these not markedly deciduous on older stems; bark of older stems yellow-brown and shining. Sympodial units difoliate, geminate. Leaves elliptic to ovate, widest at or just below the middle, densely tomentose beneath with uniseriate curl-tipped golden trichomes 0.5-1 mm long, especially along the midrib and the 6-8 main lateral veins, glabrous and shining above, with uniseriate trichomes like those of the undersides on the midrib and main lateral veins; major leaves 9.9-12 x 4.5-5 cm, the apex acute, the base acute; petioles 1.4-1.5 cm long, densely tomentose like the stems and leaves; minor leaves, if present, 2.3-5.5 x 1.5-2.4 cm, the apex acute, the base acute; petioles 5-8 mm long. Inflorescences opposite the leaves, or appearing terminal and overtopping the shoots, simple or several times branched, 1.5-3.5 cm long, 20-60-flowered, densely tomentose with the same uniseriate golden hairs as the stem and leaves, these very dense distally;pedicel scars hidden in the trichomes, evenly spaced ca. 1 mm apart. Buds ellipsoid, the corolla soon exserted from the calyx. Pedicels at anthesis 6-8 mm long, erect, tapering from the calyx tube to a slender base ca. 0.5 mm diam., pubescent with the same golden trichomes as the stem and leaves. Flowers with the calyx tube 1-1.5 mm long, pubescent with golden uniseriate trichomes, the lobes broadly triangular to deltoid, 0.5-1 mm long, densely pubescent with uniseriate golden trichomes; corolla white, 1.2-1.4 cm across, lobed nearly to the base, the lobes planar or slightly campanulate at anthesis, the interpetalar sinuses membranous, the lobes long-papillose with a few scattered uniseriate trichomes 0.2 mm long at the tips; anthers clavate, falcate, unequal in size, two small ones ca. 2 mm long, three large ones ca. 2.5 mm long, all 1-1.25 mm wide, minutely poricidal at the tips, the pores round and very small; free portion of the filaments also unequal, the two small anthers with the free portion ca. 1.5 mm long, the three large anthers with the free portion ca. 2 mm long, the filament tube ca. 0.5 mm long; ovary glabrous; style 4.5-5 mm long, straight or slightly curved; stigma dark-papillose. Fruit a globose, green berry, ca. 1 cm diam.; fruiting pedicels deflexed, 2-2.5 cm long. Seeds not known from mature fruits. Chromosome number not known.

Discussion

Solanum reitzii is most closely related to S. pseudoquina, a widespread species of southeastern Brazil, with which it shares the unusual character of dimorphic anthers with round, very small pores. Solanum reitzii differs from S. pseudoquina in its dense indument of golden uniseriate trichomes, and its slightly smaller flowers. Solanum reitzii may be an isolate of the more widespread and closely related S. pseudoquina.

Common Names

canema, Peloteira

Distribution

Found only in the mountains of Santa Catarina and adjacent Paraná states, southeastern Brazil, in Araucaria angustifolia forests at ca. 800 m.

Brazil South America| Paraná Brazil South America| Santa Catarina Brazil South America|