Solanum melissarum

Solanum melissarum
Flower and flower buds
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Solanales
Family: Solanaceae
Genus: Solanum
Species:
S. melissarum
Binomial name
Solanum melissarum
Bohs
Synonyms[2]

Cyphomandra divaricata (Mart.) Sendtn.

Solanum melissarum is a small tree or shrub in the flowering plant family Solanaceae endemic to Brazil.[3]

Description

A small tree, from 1 to 6 metres high, usually with a single trunk. The crown of light branches carries simple, unlobed leaves. The flowering inflorescence is from 5 cm to 30 cm long, and carries 4 to 20 long, narrow flower buds. The narrow, slightly membranous flower petal are green-white. The petals curve upward at first opening, and become lax as the flower ages. The anthers are at first purple, changing to yellow-orange with age.[3]

Reproductive biology

The pendulous flowers have poricidal anthers close to the stigma, with membranous thecae joined by a connective bearing osmophores that attract males of Euglossa cordata bees. As they collect fragrances, the bees press the thecae and pollen is released through a bellows mechanism. Based on the hand-pollination treatments, this species is self-incompatible.[4]

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Solanum melissarum.
  1. ^ World Conservation Monitoring Centre (1998). "Solanum melissarum". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 1998: e.T36213A9988335. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.1998.RLTS.T36213A9988335.en. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
  2. ^ Bohs, Lynn (1995). "Transfer of Cyphomandra (Solanaceae) and its species to Solanum". Taxon. 44 (4): 583–587. doi:10.2307/1223500. JSTOR 1223500.
  3. ^ a b Bohs, Lynn (1994). "Cyphomandra (Solanaceae)". Flora Neotropica. Monograph 63. New York Botanical Garden: 75–77.
  4. ^ C. P. Coelho; D. C. Gomes; F. A. G. Guilherme; L. F. Souza (4 May 2017). "Biologia reprodutiva da endêmica Solanum melissarum Bohs (Solanaceae) e atualização da distribuição geográfica atual, como base para a sua conservação no Cerrado Brasileiro". Brazilian Journal of Biology (in Portuguese). 77 (4): 809–819. doi:10.1590/1519-6984.01516. ISSN 1519-6984. PMID 28492799. Wikidata Q38792753.


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