N. ORD.—SOLANACEAZ.. 124 
GENUS.—SOLANUM,* TOURN. 
SEX. SYST._PENTANDRIA MONOGYNIA. 
DULCAMARA:. 
BILIEROSWELL. 
SYN.—EOLANUM DULCAMARA, LINN. DULCAMARA FLEXUOSA, 
MOENCH. RAMUS NOVELLUS, L. . 
COM. NAMES.-—-BITTERSWEET, WOODY NIGHTSHADE, VIOLET BLOOM; 
(FR.) DOUCE-AMERE; (GER.) BITTERSUSS. 
A TINCTURE OF THE FRESH GREEN BRANCHES ABOVE THE WOODY STEM, OF 
SOLANUM DULCAMARA, LINN. 
Description.—This beautiful and falsely dreaded shrubby herb, seldom 
reaches a length of more than 5 feet, unless well supported in a hedge or bya 
wall; it then may extend to various lengths, in some cases reaching 18 feet or 
more. oof woody, irregularly creeping and branching, pale yellow. Stem 
herbaceous or shrubby, flexuous, pubescent, scarcely climbing. ranches many, 
weak, flexuous and somewhat angular, with a dull green bark, destitute of thorns 
or spines. Leaves alternate, petiolate, from 2 to 3 inches long, the upper surface 
smooth, the under usually pubescent; the lower few leaves are either ovate or 
ovate-cordate, the upper vary from hastate to auriculate, all entire. //owers 
drooping, on lateral, branching, extra-axillary peduncles, forming a lcose spreading 
corymb with bractless pedicels. Calyx small, 5-parted. Corol/a plaited, and 
valvate or induplicate in the bud; when expanded it is wheel-shaped, 5-cleft, with 
the acute-lanceolate lobes reflexed, each with two green ovate spots at its base. 
Stamens exserted, mostly equal, their filaments inserted upon the tube of the 
corolla. ilaments short, more or less triangular. Avdhers large, erect, blunt, 
bright yellow, converging intoa cone about the style, and opening by two pores or 
chinks at the apex. od/en grains minute, ovoid and induplicate. Ovary rounded, 
>-celled, containing many ovules upon the axis. Ovules curved (campylotropous), 
sometimes merging into the amphitropic form. Sle simple, filiform, protruding 
beyond the tube formed by the anthers. Sigma single. /ruzta 2-celled, bright 
scarlet, oval, translucent, thin-skinned, bitter and juicy berry. Seeds numerous, 
whitish, somewhat plano-convex, their surfaces minutely pitted. 
History and Habitat.—This very Sodiiion plant prefers moist banks, old — 5 2 
fences and hedges, the slightly higher ground on the margins of swampy spots, 
and disused ground about old dwellings ; blossoming in June and July. Its place : 
* Derivation unknown, . 
