125-2 
or very rarely imbricate in the bud, Ovary wholly free, normally 2-celled; pla- 
cente axillary ; ovules indefinitely many, anatropous or amphitropous; s¢yZe un- 
divided; stigma entire or sometimes bilamellar. Fruit either capsular or baccate ; 
embryo terete and incurved or coiled, or sometimes almost straight ; albumen fleshy ; 
cotyledons rarely much broader than the radicle.* 
This order furnishes our Materia Medica with twenty drugs, which are, beside 
the five here described: The European Belladonna, or Deadly Nightshade (A¢ropa 
Belladonna, Linn.); the Tropical Cayenne Pepper (Capsicum Annuum, Linn.); the 
Pacific coast Tree Stramonium (Datura arborea, Linn.); the Chinese Datura (D. 
ferox, Linn.), probably the most poisonous species in the family; the Indian Datura 
(D. metel, Linn.) ; the Tropical American Tomato, or Love-apple (Lycopersicum 
esculentum, Mill.) ; the true Mandrake of Southern Europe (Atropa mandragora, 
Linn.); the South Brazilian Arrebenta Cavallos (Solanum Rebenta, Vell.) ; the 
Southern and West Indian Apple of Sodom, or Nipple Nightshade (S. mammo- 
sum, Linn.) ; the Brazilian Fuquerioba, or Gyquirtoba (S. oleraceum, Vell.) ; the 
European Jerusalem Cherry (S. psewdo-capsicum, Linn.) ; the common Potato (S. 
tuberosum, Linn.) and its diseased state (.S. éwberosum egrotans), due to the growth 
of a fungus known as Peronospora infestans ; the Peruvian Foripondio (Datura san- 
guinea, R. et Pav.); the Australian Corkwood Tree (Dudorsia myoporoides, R. Br.), 
and Pituri (D. Hopwoodi, Von M.). 
Numerous drugs, still unproven but used in general practice, belong to this 
order, notably, the Indian Guinea Pepper (Capsecum fastigiatum, Blume), which, 
with the Indian Goat Pepper (C. fruéescens, Linn.), is a much more powerful stim- 
ulant than Cayenne, and often produces violent pain and purgation. The genus 
Solanum further furnishes to medicine the Indian expectorant, S. Yacguiri, Willd. ; 
the West Indian astringent, S. Bakamense, Linn.; the Brazilian active cathartic 
and vulnerary, Furipeba (S. paniculatum, Linn.); the South American sudorific, 
S. cernuum, Vell.; and many other species used in their native countries as pur- 
gatives, diuretics, deobstruents, and vulneraries. The fruit of the West Indian 
Calabash Tree (Crescentia Cujete, Linn.) yields a pulp that is considered at once 
vulnerary and pectoral. In the south of Europe the White Henbane (/Zed/eborus 
albus, Linn.) is considered much more active than //. xzger; and Arabia yields, 
according to Foreskal, a species, HY. Datura, used by the natives to produce 
intoxication, and supposed to be the zepenthes of Homer. The genus Cestrum 
contains many active species, those especially notable being, the South African 
_ C. venenatum, Thursb., used by the Hottentots as a poison for their spears, and 
to poison their bait for wild beasts; C. macrophyllum, Vent, and C. nocturnum, 
_ Lam., are also toxic, and have been used with some effect in chorea; while C 
_ Hediunda, Lam., and C. auriculatum, 1. Her., are febrifugal. Many species of 
_ Physalis are valuable, especially the South European P. flexuosus, Linn., which 
- is said to be narcotic, diuretic, and alexiteric; and the Winter Cherry, P. Alke- 
oS kengi, Linn., which has been considered an excellent diuretic from the days of 
_ Dioscorides; Ray considered it also anti-podagric. The bitter leaves of the Peru- 
_-* Description of Prof. Asa Gray, in Synop. Flora of N: A. vol. ii, pt. i, p. 224. 
