Nomenclature
Scientific Name:
Solanum pseudocapsicum subsp. diflorum (Vell.) Bitter, Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 54: 498 (1917)
Synonymy:
  • Solanum diflorum Vell.
 Description

Small shrub, with few-branched hairs, bushy, unarmed, with stems to c. 50 cm tall. Petioles to c. 3–(3.5) cm long. Lamina 2.5–14–(20) × 0.7–8–(11) cm, lanceolate to lanceolate-oblong or elliptic, sinuate or entire, dull green above; hairs scattered, few-branched, mainly below and on midrib above at maturity, dense when young, sometimes with simple hairs as well; base attenuate; apex obtuse. Fls usually solitary or in clusters of 2–4; pedicels to 1.5 cm long, stellate-hairy, ± erect at fruiting. Calyx c.  5 mm long, with few-branched hairs, accrescent, deeply divided; lobes linear or linear-lanceolate. Corolla 10–14 mm diam., white, glabrous; lobes ovate. Anthers 2–2.5 mm long. Berry 1- c. 1.5 cm diam., usually globose, sometimes ovoid, scarlet or orange-red; stone cells 0. Seed 2.5–3 mm long, irregular, somewhat obovoid.

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

 Biostatus
Exotic
 Phenology

Flowering: Jan.–Dec.

 Bibliography
Bitter, G. 1917: Solana africana, II. Botanische Jahrbücher für Systematik, Pflanzengeschichte und Pflanzengeographie 54: 416–506.
Connor, H.E. 1977: The Poisonous Plants in New Zealand. Edition 2. Government Printer, Wellington. [as Solanum diflorum Vell.]
Connor, H.E.; Fountain, J. 2009: Plants that Poison: A New Zealand Guide. Manaaki Whenua Press, Lincoln. [as Solanum diflorum Vell.]
Howell, C. 2008: Consolidated list of environmental weeds in New Zealand. DOC Research & Development Series 292: 42. [as Solanum diflorum Vell.]
Knapp, S. 2002: Solanum sectiion Geminata (Solanaceae). Flora Neotropica Monograph 84: 1–404. [as Solanum diflorum Vell.]