Solanum adscendens, Sendtn.,

Stern, Stephen, Bohs, Lynn, Giacomin, Leandro, Stehmann, João & Knapp, Sandra, 2013, A Revision of Solanum Section Gonatotrichum, Systematic Botany 38 (2), pp. 470-496 : 476-479

1. SOLANUM ADSCENDENS Sendtn.,

Fl. Bras. (Martius) 10: 17, Table 1, Figs. 9–12 . 1846.

—TYPE: BRAZIL. “Brasilia australiore,” (fl), F. Sellow s.n. (lectotype, here designated: P-P00319345 !; isolectotype: B (destroyed), photos of isolectotype [F neg. 2798]: F!, G!, GH!).

S. amarantoides Dunal var. hirtellum Dunal , in DC., Prodr. 13 (1): 56. 1852.

—TYPE: BRAZIL. “Province de Rio- Grande” , [“de Minas Geraes ” handwritten on label], 1833 (fl), C. Gaudichaud 1745 (holotype: P- P00319346 !).

Herb, sometimes woody at base, much-branched, the branches decumbent with apices upright, 1–3 dm tall. Stems sparsely to densely pubescent with 2–5-celled unbranched, straight hairs. Sympodia 2-foliate, the leaves solitary or geminate. Leaf blades 1.5–4 + 1–3.5 cm, cordiform, chartaceous to membranaceous, nearly glabrous to sparsely pubescent adaxially and abaxially with 1–2 (4)-celled unbranched eglandular hairs, these 0.5–1.5 mm, erect or lying flat along blade, denser along veins, mixed with small, glandular hairs, these 0.1–0.2 mm, barely visible in dried material; base truncate to cordate, often asymmetrical, slightly decurrent into petiole; main veins 3–5, palmately leaving the leaf base; apex acuminate to acute; petioles 0.5 –1.5 cm, moderately pubescent with unbranched hairs like those of stems. Inflorescences with 1–3 flowers, the axes sparsely to moderately pubescent with unbranched hairs; peduncle absent or nearly so; rachis absent; pedicels 5 –15 mm in flower, 10–20 mm in fruit, pendent. Flowers with the calyx 3–10 mm long, the tube 1–3 mm, the lobes 2–7 + 0.5–1.5 mm, linearlanceolate, moderately to densely pubescent. Corolla 0.5 –1.5 cm in diameter, rotate with abundant interpetalar tissue, chartaceous to membranaceous, white, the tube 3–6 mm long, the lobes very short, 1–2 + 0.5–1 mm, triangular, acute at apices, glabrous abaxially and adaxially. Stamens 2–4 mm long; filaments up to 1 mm long; anthers 1.5 –3 + 0.5–1.5 mm, oblong, the base cordate, the apex emarginate. Ovary glabrous; style 4–6 + 0.5 –1 mm, equal to or exserted beyond stamens; stigma to 1 mm wide. Berries 5–12 mm in diameter, globose, white to yellow when immature, maturing semitransparent, drying brown, glabrous, the mesocarp probably watery and held under pressure until dehiscing explosively at maturity. Seeds 10–35 per fruit, ca. 2.5 + 1.5 mm, with a small notch where connected to placenta, the margin not swollen, surface with fine raised ridges radiating from center to edges and shallow ridges running parallel to margin. Figure 4 .

Habitat and Distribution— The majority of collections of S. adscendens are from Rio Grande do Sul State in Brazil ( Fig. 5 ). Afew collections exist from Misiones and Corrientes Provinces in Argentina, but these are found near the border between the two countries. Solanum adscendens is a weedy species of interior forests and river banks as well as fields and roadsides (commonly ruderal) in seasonal deciduous forests at elevations from 0–600 (900) m.

Phenology— S. adscendens has been collected in flower and fruit in all months except January and May.

Conservation Status— While S. adscendens status is Least Concern because it does not meet IUCN Red List qualifications for a Threatened or even Near Threatened species, it is still of some concern due to the limited geographic distribution and rapid conversion of wildlands to grazing and farming in Rio Grande do Sul ( IBGE 2010). It is advised that this species be monitored in the future.

Etymology— The epithet adscendens refers to the species’ growth form, which begins by spreading horizontally with subsequent ascending, erect flowering stems.

Additional Specimens Examined— BRAZIL. Rio Grande do Sul: Balneário Iraí, 27 Oct 1976 (fl, fr), Arzivenco s.n. (ICN); Derrubadas, Parque Estadual do Turvo, 31 Jan 1997 (fl, fr), Brack 1714 (ICN); same loc., 31 Jan 1997 (fl, fr), Brack 1807 (ICN); Montenegro, Polo Petroquímico, 28 Jun 1977 (fl), Bueno 344 (HAS); Santo Amaro, 6 Jun 1996 (fl, fr), Carneiro 443 (ICN); General Câmara, Santo Amaro, na quadra da igreja, 8 Oct 1995 (fl, fr), Carneiro s.n. (ICN); same loc., 15 Mar 1996 (fl, fr), Carneiro s.n. (ICN); Trindade do Sul, assentamento Trinidade, 28 Feb 2008 (fl, fr), Grings 340 (ICN); Marcelino Ramos, barranca do Rio Uruguai, 23 Sep 1987 (fl, fr), Jarenkow 720 (ICN, MBM, PEL); Cambará do Sul, Itaimbezinho, 27 Dec 1988 (fl, fr), Jarenkow & Bueno 1171 (ESA); Dois Irmãos, Cascata de São Miguel, 1 Nov 1984 (fl), Jeisen s.n. (ICN); Vicinity of S. Leopoldo, Oct 1941 (fl, fr), Leite 658 (NY, RB, SP, UEC); São Leopoldo, 1941 (fl, fr), Leite 1864 (RB, SP, UEC); Nonoai, Cascata do Legeado Tigre, 2 Nov 1993 (fl, fr), Matzenbacher s.n. (ICN); Venâncio Aires, Vol. da Pátria, 5 Aug 1984 (fl), Pilz s.n. (ICN); Santa Clara, p. Lageado, 18 Nov 1940 (fl), Rambo s.n. (PACA); Nonoai, ad. fl. Uruguai, Mar 1954 (fl, fr), Rambo s.n. (PACA); Harmonia, 6 Oct 1945 (fl, fr), Sehnem 1546 (PACA, US); Veranópolis, próximo ao Rio das Antas, 2 Nov 1989 (fl, fr), Silveira 1699 (HAS); Tenente, Parque Estadual do Turvo, na estrada para Salto de Yucumã, 11 Sep 1990 (fl, fr), Silveira 8734 (HAS); Triunfo, Estrada para Taquari, 24 Sep 1987 (fl), Silveira 9634 (HAS); Derrubadas, Parque Estadual do Turvo, na Estrada para Porto Garcia, 20 Jul 1995 (fl), Sobral & Almeida 7911 (ICN); Bagé, junto ao Rio Camaquã, 26 Sep 1984 (fl, fr), Stehmann 473 (BHCB, ICN, RB); General Câmara, Santo Amaro, Estação Ferroviária de Amarópolis, 28 Mar 2009 (fl), Stehmann et al. 6001 (BHCB); General Câmara, Santo Amaro, Eclusa, 29 ° 56 ' 34.88 '' S, 51 ° 53 ' 30.51 '' W, 18 m, 28 Mar 2009 (fr), Stehmann et al. 6002 (BHCB); same loc., same date (fr), Stehmann et al. 6003 (BHCB); same loc., same date (fl), Stehmann et al. 6004 (BHCB); same loc., same date (fr), Stehmann et al. 6005 (BHCB); Montenegro, Arroio Bom Jardim, 30 Aug 1977 (fl, fr), Ungaretti 549 (HAS); Triunfo, 30 Dec 1996 (fl, fr), Ungaretti 595 (HAS); Montenegro, Polo Petroquímico, 13 Sep 1977 (fl, fr), Ungaretti 646 (HAS); same loc., 19 Oct 1977 (fr), Ungaretti 730 (HAS); Montenegro, 24 Jul 1979 (fl, fr), Waechter & Zanette s.n. (HAS).

ARGENTINA. Corrientes: Dept. Santo Tomé, Garruchos, Estancia San Juan Batista, 28 ° 10 ' S, 55 ° 38 ' 51 '' W, 100 m, 17 Apr 2005 (fl, fr), Barboza et al. 1494 (CORD); Garruchos, Estancia San Juan Batista, costa del Río Uruguay, 20 Sep 1974 (fl, fr), Krapovickas et al. 25819 (CTES, MBM). Misiones: Concepción de la Sierra, entre Azara y Ciudad de la Sierra, 24 Aug 1978 (fl, fr), Cabrera et al. 29445 (CTES, SI); San Pedro, Parque Provincial Moconá, 24 Oct 2006 (fl, fr), Keller 3746 (CTES).

Notes— Solanum adscendens is similar to S. olympicum and has been considered to be conspecific with it ( Nee 1989). Mentz and de Oliveira (2004) also placed specimens of S. adscendens and S. olympicum together in S. adscendens . This placement was largely due to the absence of type material, as the presumed holotype was destroyed in Berlin and the photographs of it were not sufficient to distinguish the species. Mentz and de Oliveira’s (2004) photographs of a duplicate of the type at Paris enabled us to readily distinguish S. adscendens from the more common and widespread S. olympicum. The cordate leaf bases, straight (not geniculate) hairs, glandular hairs on the abaxial leaf surface, and sprawling growth form with many branches from a single base characterize S. adscendens and differentiate it from S. olympicum, as do molecular data.

Solanum amarantoides var. hirtellum has not previously been considered a synonym of S. adscendens , but both Bitter and C.V. Morton annotated the holotype at Pas “affine S. adscendens ” and “probably = S. adscendens ,” respectively. The original printed label indicates the specimen was collected in “Province de Rio-Grande” but unidentified handwriting above this label states “de Minas Geraes.” Solanum adscendens has its northern limit at the border of Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina States, so it is unlikely that the Gaudichaud 1745 specimen was collected in Minas Gerais State.

Figures

FIG. 9. Scan of lectotype of S. hoffmanseggii (Photo credit L. A. Mentz).

FIG. 10. Scan of isolectotype of S. lignescens.

FIG. 11. Photos of type collection of S. manabiense (Stern & Tepe 377, QCNE). A. Habit. B. Flower; note hairs on stem and leaves. C. Fruit, with skin becoming transparent as turgor pressure increases. D. Roadside habitat in Manabí, Ecuador and author with type collection. Scale bars: A = 10 cm. B, C = 5 mm. (reprinted with permission of the Botanical Research Institute of Texas).

FIG. 12. Solanum olympicum (Bohs 3194, UT). A. Habit. B. Inflorescence with flower buds; note adpressed, geniculate hairs on stem. C. Mature fruit prior to dehiscence; note the skin becoming transparent as turgor pressure increases. D. Fruit after explosive dehiscence. Scale bars = 1 cm.

FIG. 4. Solanum adscendens (Stehmann 6005, BHCB). A. Habit; note the cordate leaf bases. B. SEM of the abaxial leaf surface; note the long, straight hairs and the minute glandular hairs. C. Fruit. D. Flower. E. Calyx and leaves. Scale bars: A = 2 cm. B = 200 Mm. C, E = 1 cm. D = 5 mm.

FIG. 5. Distribution of S. adscendens, S. evolvuloides, S. hoffmanseggii, S. olympicum, and S. turneroides.