Solanum melissarum

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

Solanum melissarum
Flower and flower buds
Scientific 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.

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
  1. World Conservation Monitoring Centre 1998. Solanum melissarum. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Downloaded on 23 August 2007.
  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. Bohs, Lynn (1994). "Cyphomandra (Solanaceae)". Flora Neotropica. New York Botanical Garden. Monograph 63: 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. 77 (4): 809–819. doi:10.1590/1519-6984.01516. ISSN 1519-6984. PMID 28492799. Wikidata Q38792753.
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