| MONOPETALEZ—HYPOCOROLLER. 298 
tries the leaves of S. nigrum are boiled and eaten in the same 
manner as Spinach, and that the fruit is also much used in 
some places. The fruit of the Egg-plant (Solanum melon- 
gena or S. esculentum) is much used as an article of food in 
the West Indies, and in some provinces in France. The - 
fruit of S. lycopersicum (Tomato or Love-apple) is frequent- 
ly used for sauces; and the fruits of other species of Sola- 
num, belonging to the Tomato section, are eatable. All 
these, however, are exposed to heat before being eaten, to 
expel a volatile poisonous matter. “ It is stated that the 
poisonous species derive their properties from the presence 
of a pulpy matter which surrounds the seeds; and that the 
wholesome kinds are destitute of this pulp, their fruit con- 
sisting only of what botanists call the Sarcocarp; that is to 
say, the centre of the rindina more or less succulent state.” 
—Lindley. The dried berries and seeds of Capsicum an- 
nuum are known by the name of Cayenne Pepper; they are 
hot, pungent, and aromatic, and are used as a condiment. — 
_C. frutescens and C. baccatum have similar properties. he’ 
fruit of the Winter Cherry (Physalis Alkenkengi) is also 
used as a condiment. Tobacco is procured from several 
species of Nicotiana.—American from N. Tabacum—Per- 
sian, from the NV. persica—that grown in Turkey and Syria 
from N. rustica. 
_ Meprciwat Properttes.—The general character of this — 
family, in a medicinal point of view, is narcotic. The root — 
and leaves of Atropa Belladonna are powerfully narcotic. 
_Mr. Brandes discovered in this plantan alkali (Atropia),on 
which its narcotic properties depend, so extremely powerful, 
‘that the utmost caution is required in experimenting with it. 
The chief use of Belladonna is to dilate the pupil before the 
operation for cataract: abroad, it is used in} hb. 
_ The herb and seeds of Henbane (Hyoscyamus niger) are 
harcotic, and used in the same way as een 
