NicoTiANA. XCIX. SOLANACE^. 445 



Anth. biAtiiifr lonfituilinally, rarely by Jcrminal pores. ... 



Ova. free (superior), 2-i-ell(.il, U-cellcil in Dutuiii) with the phccntu m tiie axis. 



Sti/les mu\ .stifj-iiiax uniu-d iwtit \. 



Fr. a capsule or lierry. l^et-tls numerous. E/nbri/o curved, lyint; m ileHliy ulhumen. 



Genera 60, species 9U0, ditVu.sed Uiroughout the world, except the irigid zones, but most ubundaiil in 

 the torrid. 



Properties. These are hiiriily important. A large portion of the genera are per\'ade(l by u narcotic 

 principle, leiideriiitr the herb.iue and iriiit dan{;erou>ly poisonous, yet iMininhinjf sunie ol tlie ii.o.-l active 

 meiticines; as Iha /inibane (Hyoscyamus), Leitttdoiina UWwvii), Htranionnuii (Oaiuia). ;o^«rc^^ (^icoli- 

 ana), ^c. At tjie same time .several Kpeciis of .Solanum aliord wholoomc and n'UIrili.iiis looil, not 

 because they are tree from the narcotic principle, but because it is e.Mielled in the process o cooking or 

 ripening,' in llic sun. Such are the tnhers of the invaluahle potato, the Jruit of the thiiiuto and ririi Pfnt- 

 The Rcnus Cai)sicum is entirely live from i.arcotine, and produces the well known stiinnlant Iriut, 

 Caytnnc pepper. , r ,j. ^. . 



Conspectus of iiic dew ra. 



I Fruit UittiuK on the calyx Solarium. 8 



(rotate, with a ■ baccate, it enclo.sed in the calyx Physalw. 6 



very short tube. ( Fruit capsular, dry Capsicum. 7 



^ .■^. pals lanceolate i*"o?'«; f 



campanulate. ^-Sepal^ leafy, sagittate hicandra. 5 



S Cap.sule spinose Datura. 3 



I <; Herbs. J Capsule smooth, McfAiana. 2 



(regular, I funnel-l'orm. . rrrailintr shrubs Lyciuni. 10 



< Ualver form, lower segments larger Petunia. 1 



Corolla ( irregulitr, I lunncl-tbrm, upper segments larger Uimcyamu^. 4 



i. PETUNIA. Juss. 



The Brazilian name is pctun. Latinized, petunia. 



Calyx tube short, the limb 5-eleft, foliaceous : corolla hypocrateri- 

 form, the tube cyliudrie, limb in 5, unequal, flat, plicate lobes : sta- 

 mens 5, unequal included, arising from the middle of the corolla 

 tube ; capsule 2-valved. — Herbs loith simple Ivs. and axillary, solitary, 

 shoicy fis. 



1. P. vioLACEA.— S^ weak, viscid-pilose; Ivs. acute, on short petioles; cor. 

 ventricose, cleft into rounded, acute lobes.—® (§) A pretty, trailing or climbing 

 plant, becoming quite popular in cultivation, native of Brazil. Whole plant 

 clothed with clammy hairs. Stems simple, several from the same root, 2— 8f 

 long. Leaves 1—2' "long, nearly as broad, tapering at base into a winged peti- 

 ole, fleshy, nearly smooth beneath. Sepals obtuse. Peduncles as long as the 

 leaves, and scarcely longer than the corolla tube. Limb of the corolla bright 

 purple', an inch or more broad, upper segment smallest. Capsule furnished 

 with a tube each side of the sutures. 



2, P. ALBA.— S"/. weak, viscid-pilose ; Ivs. ovate, acute, upper ones sessile ; 

 cor', tube cylindric, scarcely dilated above, 2 or 3 times longer than the obtuse, 

 spatulate sepals, limb flat, spreading, greenish-white. — ® (g) Brazil. Usually 

 regarded as a variety of the first, and perhaps it may have originated from that 

 species by cultivation. It is usually a stouter plant, with larger leaves and 

 flowers, the latter constantly yellowish or greenish-white, with a long, slender 

 tube. 



2. NICOTIANA. Tourn. 



In honor? of John Nicot, of Languedoc, who seems to have introduced it into Europe. 



Calyx urceolate, 5-cleft ; corolla infundibuliform, regular, limb 

 5-lobed ; stamens 5 ; stigma emarginate ; cap.sule 2-celled, 2 — 4 

 valved. — ® Coarse, narcotic herbs, icitfi simple Ivs. and terminal fls. 

 Cor. while, tinged with green or purple. 



1. N. RUSTiCA. Common Tobacco. 



Viscid-pubescent ; Ivs. petioled, ovate, entire ; tube of the cor. cylindric, 

 longer than the calyx, segments round, obtuse. — For the purposes of tobacco 

 this plant is considered inferior to the Virginian. Stem 12—18' high. Flowers 

 greenish-yellow, in a terminal panicle or raceme. In western N. Y., &c., said 

 to have been introduced by the Indians. Aug. ^ 



2. N. Tabacum. Virginian Tobacco. 



Viscid-pubescent; /rs. lanceolate, sessile, decurrent ; cor. tube inflated at 

 the throat, lobes acute.— Native of Central America, particularly the Island of 

 Tobago, and the Province o'i Tabasco in Mexico, whence it was first exported 



