Indicative distribution
The areas shown in pink and/purple are the sub-regions where the species or community is known or predicted to occur. They may not occur thoughout the sub-region but may be restricted to certain areas.
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click here to see geographic restrictions).
The information presented in this map is only indicative and may contain errors and omissions.
Scientific name: Solanum karsense
Profile last updated:
05 Oct 2023
Description
Grey-green downy forb to 0.3 m high, densely covered with pale star-shaped hairs. Firm pale spines to 15 mm long are scattered along the stems. Leaves rounded, 1.5-3 cm long, 1-2 cm wide, shallowly lobed along the edges, densely hairy. Flowers purple, shallowly bell-shaped, 20-35 mm in diameter. Berry about 7 mm in diameter.
Distribution
Menindee Nightshade is the a species of Solanum endemic to NSW, restricted to the far south-western plains, extending up the Darling River to the Menindee and Wilcannia districts. Mainly restricted to the area between the Darling and Lachlan Rivers. Localities include Kars Station, Lake Tandou, Lake Cawndilla, Oxley area, between Broken Hill and Menindee, and the Darling River. It has been recorded from Kinchega National Park and Nearie Lake Nature Reserve.
Habitat and ecology
- Grows in occasionally flooded depressions with heavy soil, including level river floodplains of grey clay with Black Box and Old Man Saltbush, and open treeless plains with solonized brown soils.
- Habitats are generally lake beds or floodplains of heavy grey clays with a highly self-mulching surface. Also found on sandy floodplains and ridges and in calcareous soils, red sands, red-brown earths and loamy soils.
- Flowers chiefly in spring.
- Has been observed in the field to have an extensive root system which will grow when cut and left on the soil surface. This species is ephemeral in nature, appearing following rainfall events. It also tolerates disturbance and will often appear after such activities as grading, ploughing and flooding for irrigation.
- Menindee Nightshade is a clonal species and is recorded as common to locally abundant in most populations. It can form small colonies of several hundred plants, to large spreading colonies found over an area of 8-12000 hectares (11 stands over about 6 km). Isolated and few plants have also been recorded at some sites.
Regional distribution and habitat
Click on a region below to view detailed distribution, habitat and vegetation information.
Threats
- Appears to be a robust shrub able to tolerate disturbance.
- Much of the original dry lake habitat has been modified. The species still occupies the margins of appropriate habitat, and due to its capacity to tolerate disturbance is regarded by some as a weed.
Recovery strategies
A Saving Our Species conservation project is currently being developed for this species and will be available soon. For information on how you can contribute to this species' recovery, see the Activities to assist this species section below.
Activities to assist this species
- Undertake studies to determine the disturbance tolerance of this species and assess conservation requirements once this is known.
- Undertake survey following appropriate conditions to determine extent of distribution and overall population size.
Information sources
- Briggs, J.D. and Leigh, J.H. (1996) Rare or Threatened Australian Plants. Revised Edition. (CSIRO Publishing, Melbourne)
- Conn, B.J. (1992) Solanum. In Harden, G.J. (ed.) Flora of New South Wales. Volume 3. (New South Wales University Press: Sydney).
- Cunningham, G.M., Mulham, W.E., Milthorpe, P.L. and Leigh, J.H. (1992) Plants of Western New South Wales. (Inkata Press, Sydney)
- Pressey, R.L., Cohn, J.S. and Porter, J.L. (1990) Vascular plants with restricted distributions in the Western Division of New South Wales. Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales 112: 213-227
- Purdie, R.W., Symon, D.E. and Haegi, L. (1982) Solanaceae. 1. Solanum. Flora of Australia 29: 69-175, p. 148.
- Symon, D.E. (1971) Nine new species of Solanum from Australia. Transactions of the Royal Society of South Australia 95: 227-239, pp. 230-231.
- Symon, D.E. (1981) A revision of the genus Solanum in Australia. Journal of the Adelaide Botanic Gardens 4: 1-367, pp. 208-210.
- Symon, D.E. (1986) A survey of Solanum prickles and marsupial herbivory in Australia. Annals of the Missouri Botanic Gardens 73(4): 745-754.
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