Stems with spreading prickles 3–7 mm and often to 1 mm diam. at base, fewer than 20 per cm of stem, densely pubescent with short-stipitate glands and often with unbranched, spread­ing hairs to 1 mm. Calyx lobes 2.5–3.8 mm. Seeds reticulately wrinkled or merely undulate.


Phenology: Flowering Apr–Oct.
Habitat: Well-drained, often igneous, rocky or sandy soils, sparsely vegetated mountainsides, dry grasslands, disturbed places.
Elevation: (100–)1300–1900 m.

Distribution

Fla., Tex., Mexico (Coahuila).

Discussion

Variety citrullifolium is found in central and western Texas south to Mexico. The plants from central Texas differ from those of western Texas and Mexico in having more rounded ultimate leaf lobes, leaf undersides often lacking stellate hairs, and longer fruiting inflorescences. In Florida, var. citrullifolium has escaped from cultiva­tion and become naturalized. Massachusetts records (F. C. Seymour 1982) are historical (1885, 1913, 1949) as introductions that did not persist.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.
Lynn Bohs1 +  and 1The author wishes to acknowledge co-authorship with David M. Spooner† on S. jamesii and S. stoloniferum and with Sandra Knapp and Tiina Särkinen on the black nightshade species. +
A. Braun +
Fla. +, Tex. +  and Mexico (Coahuila). +
(100–)1300–1900 m. +
Well-drained, often igneous, rocky or sandy soils, sparsely vegetated mountainsides, dry grasslands, disturbed places. +
Flowering Apr–Oct. +
Index Seminum (Friburg) +
Lycopersicon +
Solanum citrullifolium var. citrullifolium +
Solanum citrullifolium +
variety +