Solanum diamantinense
Endemic to Brazil, found only in the State of Bahia, northeastern Brazil, in areas of the mountain zone known as Chapada Diamantina at elevations of 900 to 1200 m. It grows in secondary transitional vegetation associated with semi arid formations, called “caatinga”, and “campos gerais” that is a feature of large tracts of upland Bahia around Morro do Chapéu, in which the tree stratum is usually absent.
Solanum diamantinense belongs to the Solanum subgenus Leptostemonum with other species traditionally recognized in the section Erythrotrichum Child. Within the section Erythrotrichum, S. diamantinense belongs to a clade that also includes S. velleum, S. rhytidoandrum and S. decorum (Agra, 2000).
Agra, M.F. 1999. A new species of Solanum subgenus Leptostemonum (Solanaceae) from Chapada Diamantina, Bahia, Brazil.
Novon 9(3):292-295.
Agra, M.F. 2000. Sinopse Taxonômica de Solanum sect. Erythrotrichum (Solanaceae).
Thesis. Universidade de São Paulo. São Paulo, Brazil.
Agra, M.F. 2001. Diversity and Biogeography of Solanum sect. Erythrotrichum Child.
Pages 53-60 in van der Berg, R. G.; Barendese, G. W. M.; van der Weerden, G. M. & Mariani, C. (eds.). Solanaceae V: Advances in Taxonomy and Utilization Nijmegen : Nij
Agra, M.F. 2004. Sinopse Taxonômica de Solanum sect. Erythrotrichum (Solanaceae).
Pages 192-211, in Rangel-Ch, J.O; Aguirre-C, J.; Andrade-C., M.G. & Giraldo-Cañas (Eds). Memorias octavo congreso Latinoamericano Y Segundo Colombiano de Botánica. Instituto de Ciencias Naturales.
Solanum diamantinense is similar to S. rhytidoandrum Sendtn., S. decorum and S. apiculatum. They share elliptic and discolorous leaves, 2- to 3-branched inflorescences, white, stellate corollas, brown to dark brown fruits at maturity, and large lenticular seeds. However, Solanum diamantinense can be distinguished from S. rhytidoandrum by the following characters: inflorescence with fewer flowers; very short calyx lobes (close to 1 mm); and the upper surface of the leaves velutinous to tomentose with glandular-stellate hairs with multiseriate stalks. In S. rhytidoandrum the inflorescences have up to 30 flowers; the calyx lobes are parted 3/4 of the way to the base, and the stellate hairs of the upper surface of leaves are sessile and uniseriate with long, 2-3-celled midpoints.
Solanum diamantinense is also similar to S. decorum and S. apiculatum but can be distinguished from them by its longer corolla, very short calyx lobes, and by the glandular-stellate multiseriate and stalked trichomes present on all parts of the plant, particularly on the leaves, and its restricted geographical range. Solanum decorum and S. apiculatum have attenuate leaves and the stellate hairs on the upper surface of the leaf blades are sessile. In S. decorum the indument of the branches, petioles and principal venation of the blade leaves is reddish, and the trichomes have reduced midpoints. Solanum apiculatum is a scandent shrub with ferruginous indument with sessile stellate hairs with 1- to many-celled midpoints.