Solanum lucens S.Knapp
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Authority
Knapp, Sandra D. 2002.
section (Solanaceae). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 84: 1-404. (Published by NYBG Press) -
Family
Solanaceae
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Scientific Name
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Type
Type. Venezuela. Apure: Reserva Forestal San Camilo, selva siempreverde a lo largo de la Quebrada Botina, unos 2 km al suroeste del Caserío San Camilo (El Nula), 250 m, 28 Mar 1968, Steyermark et al. 101421 (holotype, VEN; isotypes, IBE, US).
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Description
Species Description - Shrubs or small trees, 1-4 m tall; young stems and leaves densely red-floccose, the trichomes weak and appressed to the stems, ca. 0.1 mm long, soon deciduous; stems lightly winged from the decurrent leaf bases; bark of older stems deep grayish-red, shiny; branches with the leaves held in a single plane, giving each branch a flattened appearance. Sympodial units difoliate, geminate. Leaves elliptic to obovate, widest at the middle or in the distal third of the blade, glabrous on both surfaces, very shiny and with the midrib prominently keeled above; major leaves 8.5-16 x 3-5 cm, with 6-8 pairs of main lateral veins, these somewhat prominent above in live plants, not at all prominent in dry material, prominent and reddish beneath, the apex acute to acuminate, the base cuneate to attenuate, decurrent on the petiole; petioles 0.5-1 cm long, lightly winged; minor leaves differing from the major ones in size and usually shape, elliptic to rounded, 2-4 x 1-2 cm, the apex acute, the base cuneate; petioles 2-3 mm long. Inflorescences opposite the leaves, simple, 2-5 cm long, 3-8-flow-ered, densely reddish-floccose; pedicel scars closely spaced, often overlapping, beginning at the base of the inflorescence. Buds globose, the calyx appearing hyaline, the calyx completely enclosing the corolla until quite late, after corolla exsertion the buds ellipsoid. Pedicels at anthesis deflexed, 0.9-1.3 cm long, tapering from the calyx tube to a slender base 0.25-0.5 mm diam. Flowers with a fragrance reminiscent of citronella (fide Tillett et al. 761-25), the calyx tube broadly conical, 1-1.5 mm long, the lobes deltoid, 1-1.5 mm long, glabrous or red floccose, the trichomes often deciduous; corolla white, 1.1-1.3 cm diam., lobed nearly to the base, the lobes planar or slightly reflexed at anthesis, the tips and margins of the lobes minutely papillose; anthers 2.5-3 x 1 mm, poricidal at the tips, the pores teardrop shaped; free portion of the filaments 0.51 mm long, the filament tube 0.5-1 mm long; ovary glabrous; styles straight, in short-styled flowers ca. 1.5 mm long, in long-styled flowers 4-6 mm long\ stigma a minutely papillose area on the broadened tip of the style. Fruit a globose, pale green berry, 0.8-1 cm diam., usually 1-3 berries per inflorescence; fruiting pedicels erect and woody, corky and large-lenticellate, 1.5-1.7 cm long, often appearing longer if the fruit is from a terminal flower, 0.75-1 mm diam. at the base. Seeds dark brown in dry material, ovoid-reniform, 2-2.5 x 1.5-2 mm, the surfaces minutely pitted. Chromosome number not known.
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Discussion
Solarium lucens is probably related to S. falconense from the Sierra San Luis in the state of Falcon, Venezuela. Characters shared between the two species are discussed with the latter. Solanum lucens is easily distinguished from S. falconense by its glabrous leaves and pale green berries borne on erect pedicels. The fragrance of the flowers of S. lucens (citronella fide Tillett et al. 761-25) is unusual in the section. The flowers of S. lucens seem to open synchronously, with an entire branch or plant being in bud, flower, or fruit at the same time, a character shared with S. gratum and S. plowmanii.
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Distribution
In secondary growth of dry forest areas in western Venezuela and eastern Colombia, on the Amazonian slopes of the Andes and in the Táchira depression, from 500-1200 m.
Colombia South America| Norte de Santander Colombia South America| Venezuela South America| Barinas Venezuela South America| Mérida Venezuela South America| Táchira Venezuela South America|