A Revision of Solanum Section Gonatotrichum

Abstract—

Solanum section Gonatotrichum (Solanaceae) includes eight species native to North, Central, and South America. Plants of this section are herbs to woody shrubs that lack spines, are pubescent with simple or stellate hairs, and have berries that swell due to increased turgor pressure and explosively dehisce to disperse the seeds. Section Gonatotrichum is closely related to section Brevantherum, from which it differs by the presence of explosive fruit dehiscence and simple hairs in all taxa except S. lignescens, which has stellate pubescence. The morphology, taxonomic history, nomenclature, ecology, distribution, and reproductive biology of Solanum section Gonatotrichum are reviewed. A dichotomous key is provided for the species of the section.