Solanum furfuraceum
n = ploidy missing =12 voucher: Webb & Tracey s.n. (ADW) (Randell & Symon 1976)
Solanum furfuraceum is endemic to Queensland, Australia. It occurs in subcoastal areas extending from west of Townsville to the Gayndah area, and with a disjunct occurrence west of Mitchell. Most records come from within 200 km of Rockhampton. It grows in vine thicket, communities dominated by Brigalow (Acacia harpophylla) or Bottle Trees (Brachychiton rupestris), or in nearby shrubby eucalypt woodland. Soils are moderately to very fertile.
Solanum furfuraceum is a typical member of Solanum subgenus Leptostemonum. It is placed into the S. macoorai group (Group 27B) by Bean (2004) on morphological grounds; its phylogenetic position has not been investigated using molecular data.
Symon, D.E. 1981. A revision of Solanum in Australia.
J. Adelaide Bot. Gard. 4: 1-367.
Bean, A.R. 2004. The taxonomy and ecology of Solanum subg. Leptostemonum (Dunal) Bitter (Solanaceae) in Queensland and far north-eastern New South Wales.
Austrobaileya 6 (4): 639-816.
Solanum furfuraceum and S. sporadotrichum are notable for their corky bark, very conspicuous on adult plants, but usually visible even on herbarium specimens. Solanum furfuraceum forms a handsome shrub with its yellowish bark and often abundant purple flowers.
A specimen labelled “East Coast” in BM (BM000596883) is possibly also isotype material.
Conservation status: Widespread. Not considered at risk.