Common name: Afghan Thistle, Porcupine Solanum
Solanum hystrix R.Br. APNI* 
Description: Sprawling, perennial herb with annual branches to 0.3 m high, green or greenish yellow; ± glabrous to sparsely hairy with mostly simple hairs; prickles abundant on all parts except corolla.
Leaves elliptic, 3–7 cm long, 1–3 cm wide, lobed with lobes triangular and shallowly lobed; ± concolorous, both surfaces greenish, ± glabrous or sparsely hispid; petiole to 1.5 cm long.
Inflorescences 1–10-flowered; peduncle 5–10 mm long; rachis 10–30 mm long, pedicels 5–10 mm long. Calyx 4–8 mm long, enlarged in fruit; lobes 2–4 mm long. Corolla broad-stellate to rotate, 15–25 mm diam., pale blue or white. Fruiting peduncle to 30 mm long, pedicels 15–20 mm long, calyx c. 15–25 mm diam.
Berry 15–25 mm diam., drying blackish.
Flowering: spring–summer.
Distribution and occurrence: Grows in recently burnt scrub on sandy plains, recorded for Coonabarabran in the late 19th century. Native of Eyre Peninsula and adjacent islands (S.A.).
NSW subdivisions: *NWS
Other Australian states: *W.A. S.A.
Text by B. J. Conn
Taxon concept: Flora of NSW 3 (1992)
APNI* Provides a link to the Australian Plant Name Index (hosted by the Australian National Botanic Gardens) for comprehensive bibliographic data
***The AVH map option provides a detailed interactive Australia wide distribution map drawn from collections held by all major Australian herbaria participating in the Australian Virtual Herbarium project.
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