[Samba] "hosts allow" in smb.conf expects only FQDN, not alias or netbios name!?

[Not now, John!]

There is no way to specify allowed hosts in smb.conf as hostname alias
(from /etc/hosts file) or as netbios names (from lmhosts file). Is this
normal behavior? If so, what is lmhosts file used for?
Using configuration shown below, the only way to specify allowed hosts
in smb.conf is with hosts FQDN.
Thanks in advance for any help.

Example:
hosts allow = eclipse.lan # this is OK
hosts allow = eclipse # eclipse denied connection !?

This is my /etc/samba/smb.conf file:
----- smb.conf BEGIN -----
[global]
  workgroup = BLWIRELESS
  netbios name = %h
  server string = Samba
  security = SHARE
  smb passwd file = /etc/samba/private/smbpasswd
  private dir = /etc/samba/private
  passdb backend = smbpasswd
  name resolve order = lmhosts host
  hostname lookups = yes
  guest account = ambra
  hosts allow = eclipse littlefoot marinko
  log level = 2
  log file = /var/log/sambalog.%m
  max log size = 256
  load printers = no
  domain master = no
[shared]
  comment = Shared Directory on %L
  path = /home/ambra/shared
  guest ok = yes
----- smb.conf END -----

Here is my /etc/samba/lmhosts file:
----- lmhosts BEGIN -----
10.51.1.56 LITTLEFOOT
10.51.1.67 MARINKO
10.51.1.132 ECLIPSE
----- lmhosts END -----

And here is my /etc/hosts file:
----- hosts BEGIN -----
127.0.0.1        localhost
10.51.1.132      eclipse.lan        eclipse
10.51.1.56   littlefoot.lan        littlefoot
10.51.1.67   marinko.lan           marinko
----- hosts END -----