Solanum pseudoauriculatum
Not known
Known only from a restricted area at the junction of southeastern Bolivia, the Mato Grosso region of Brazil and north central Paraguay. The vegetation varies from dry forest to the northeastern limits of the Chaco vegetation, 80–200 m. The exact habitat within this area is not known, although two collections, Silva 84 and 142 mention “patanal”, so perhaps it associated with periodically inundated areas.
Solanum pseudoauriculatum belongs to subgen. Leptostemonum, and it differs in no obvious ways from other members of sect. Torva (Nee, 1999).
Nee, M. 1999. Synopsis of Solanum in the New World.
Pp. 285–333 in M. Nee, D. E. Symon, R. N. Lester & J. P. Jessop (eds.), Solanaceae IV: Advances in Biology and Utilization. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
The resemblance of S. pseudoauriculatum to species of Solanum sect. Brevantherum is striking, and gave rise to the erroneous comparison by Chodat and Hassler with S. auriculatum Ait. (=S. mauritianum Scop.) of that section. However, the species definitely belongs in subgenus Leptostemonum because of the very narrow and attenuate anther; and the stellae are more typical of those of Leptostemonum than they are to all but a handful of species of sect. Brevantherum, most of which have stellae of much more complicated structure. Although the available herbarium specimens are unarmed, the young plants or sprouts very likely will be seen to be armed with prickles when living plants can be examined.
Solanum pseudoauriculatum occupies an area in the southwestern distribution of S. paniculatum, but the latter species has leaves which are much more consistently and often deeply lobed and which are nearly glabrous and shiny by the time they are full size. It is also found in the southwestern distribution of S. scuticum, but that species has more consistently lateral inflorescences that are borne on difoliate sympodial units.