m) SOLANACE.E. 



^reen stem, which at a short distance from the ground, throws out 

 spreading foiked branches, in the axil of each fork of v.hlch arises a 

 sohtary white flower, succeeded by an erect, spinj, ovoid capsule. At 

 each furcation and directed outwards is a large leaf. This arrangement 

 of parts is repeated, and as the plant grows vigorously, it often hecoines 

 much branched and acqrures in the course of the summer a considerable 

 size. 



The leaves of stramonium have long petioles, are unequal at the 

 base, oval, acuminate, sinuate-dentate with large irregular pointed teeth 

 or lobes, downy when young, glabrous at maturity. When fresh they 

 are somewhat firm and juicy, emitting when handled a disagreeable 

 fa^tid smell. The larger leaves of plants of moderate growth attain a 

 length of C to 8 or more inches. 



For medicinal pur^Doses, the entire plants are pulled up, the leaves 

 and younger shoots are stripped off", quickly dried, and then broken and 

 cut into short lengths, so as to be convenientl}^ smoked in a pipe, that 

 being the method in which the drug is chiefl}' consumed in England. 

 The offensive smell of the fresh plant is lost by drying, being replaced 

 by a rather agreeable tea-like odour. The dried herb has a bitterish 

 saline taste. 



Chemical Composition — The leaves of stramonium contain, in com- 

 mon wdth the seeds, the alkaloid Daturine (see p. 461), but in extremely 

 small proportion, not exceeding in fact A to Vo per mille. They are 

 rich in .saline and earthy constituents ; selected leaves dried at 100" C. 

 yielded us 17-4 per cent, of ash. 



Uses — Scarcely employed in any other way than in smoking like 

 tobacco for the relief of asthma.— Col. Grant (1871) found the herb 

 to be smoked in pipes by the Nubians for chest-complaint. 



Substitute— Dttfitra Tatula L.— This plant is closely allied to B. 

 Stmmonium L., propagating itself on rich cultivated ground with nearly 

 the same facility; but it is not so generally diffused. 



De Candolle is of opinion that it is indigenous to the warmer _ 

 of America, whence it w^as imported into Europe in the ICth century, 

 and naturalized first in Italy, and then in «outh-Wcstern Europe. 

 By many botanists it has been united to D. Stramonium, but Nandm, 

 who has studied both plants Avith the greatest attention, especially ^un 

 reference to their hybrids, is decidedly in favour of considering them 

 distinct, n. Tatula differs from R Stramonium in having stem, 



petiole, and nerves of lea 

 anthers of a violet colour 



ves 2Mrj>Jish mstQ&d oi green ; and corolla ami 

 instead of tch i^^,— characters which, it must De 

 admitted, are of very small botanical value. 



D. Tatula has been recommended for smoking in cases of asthW'.- 



groun 



but Ave are 







species. 



^ Cuwpies BenduH, Iv. (I8G2) 321. 



