THE /l/)^ERIDp BDTpiST. 



Vol. VI. BINGHAMTON, N. Y., FEBRUAJiY, 1904. ^iifeRARY 



NEW YORK 

 SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA SOLANUMS. eOTANiCAi. 



BY M. F. BRADSHAW. GARDEN 



THIS family' is represented here by five genera, the larg- 

 est of which is Solatium. The best known species, S. 

 nigra, is the common nightshade of the roadside. S. um- 

 belliferum and 5. xanti are both beautiful, similar to the 

 nightshade but with fine clusters of purple flowers. They 

 are found in the mountains and the finest ones I have seen 

 grew near the beach where the hills come close to the 



to 



ocean 



Datura has two species. D, tatula, sometimes called 

 Jimson weed is quite distinct from the Jimson weed of the 

 Middle States. Here it growls low^ and broad and bears 

 immense numbers of great white flowers several inches in 

 diameter. They bloom the latter part of summer and fall, 

 the very dryest and hottest season, yet they are every 

 morning as fresh and dewy as if it v^ere early spring. 

 They have a fine fragrance and make one of the grandest 

 of decorations as cut flowers. The root is large and 

 stores water, making the plant independent of rain. 

 The foliage, stems, buds and young growth are more or 

 less purplish and distinguish it at once from D. stramon- 

 ium which is green and bears a pure white flower with a 

 longer tube. There is a small difference also in the cap- 

 sules. 



Nicotiana glauca\s a shrub not native but very secure- 

 ly naturalized in this country as it is hard to find a place 

 where it has not obtained a foothold. The leaves are 

 rather scattered, smooth and somewhat bluish, and the 

 flowers are in racemes, tubular and yellow. Not in the 

 least a handsome bush though clean and so enterprising 

 and determined to make its way in the world, one respects 



