Solanum aviculare G.Forst.

Glabrous, unarmed, soft-wooded shrub to c. 3 m tall; stems angular, green or purplish. Lvs petiolate, 7–35 cm long, entire or pinnatisect (with 1–4 pairs of lobes extending to c. 10 mm from midrib) on the same plant. Lamina of entire lvs 2–7–(10) cm wide (lobes of pinnatisect lvs usually 0.5–3 cm wide, lanceolate or linear-lanceolate, sometimes elliptic-lanceolate); base decurrent on petiole; apex subacute to acuminate. Cymes 2–12-flowered; peduncles to 12 cm long and slender at anthesis; pedicels pendent at fruiting. Calyx 4–7 mm long, accrescent; lobes broadly triangular, small, mucronate. Corolla 2.5–3.5 cm diam., usually mauve, paler towards margins, occasionally white, almost glabrous; lobes very broadly ovate, acute, slightly < to slightly > tube. Anthers 3–4 mm long. Berry 1.5–2.5 cm long, broadly ovoid or ellipsoid, orange, pendent; stone cells generally not conspicuous, < seeds. Seed < 2 mm diam., ± obovoid and somewhat asymmetric.

[From: Webb et al. (1988) Flora of New Zealand. Volume 4.]

Flowering: Jan.–Dec.