4.52 
THE DICTIONARY OF GARDENING, 
Solanacezs—continued. 
Potato (Solanum tuberosum). Tobacco, the manufactured 
leaves of several species of Nicotiana, principally 
N. Tabacum, is also a highly-important article of com- 
merce. Among other products may be mentioned: 
Chilies, the berries of Capsicum annuum; Cayenne 
Pepper, the ground fruits of a sub-woody species of 
Capsicum; the Tomato or Love Apple (Lycopersicum 
esculentum), widely cultivated; and the Brinjal, Auber- 
gine, or Egg Plant (Solanwm Melongena). The principal 
medicinal ‘properties of Solanacew are: Belladonna, Hen- 
bane, and Stramonium. The fruits of Solanum quitense, 
and other species, are edible. About sixty-six genera and 
1200 species are included under Solanacew. Examples: 
Cestrum, Lycopersicum, Nicotiana, Petunia, Physalis, and 
Solanum. 
SOLANDRA (named in honour of Daniel Charles 
Solander, LL.D., F.R.S., 1736-1782, a Swede, disciple 
of Linneus, and fellow-traveller with Sir Joseph Banks 
and Captain Cook). ORD. Solanacee. A small genus 
(about four species) of tall-climbing, stove shrubs, natives 
of tropical America. Flowers large ; calyx long-tubular, 
two to five-cleft at apex; corolla funnel-shaped, with an 
ample, campanulate throat, and a limb of four broad 
lobes; stamens five, declinate above the middle; pedi- 
cels solitary, thick. Berries globose, pulpy. Leaves 
entire, coriaceous, shining. The species are very hand- 
some subjects when in flower. If allowed abundance of 
space and moisture, they grow rapidly, but produce no 
blossoms. In order to avoid this, insert the plants in 
loamy soil, and encourage them to grow rapidly at first | 
by giving plenty of water; then withhold water altogether 
until the leaves begin to drop off from drought, and an 
abundance of flowers will be the result. Propagation 
may be readily effected by cuttings, inserted in mould or 
tan. If small flowering plants are desired, the cuttings 
should be taken from flowering shoots. 
apne 
white, 7in. to 10in. long, the lobes undulate-crenate. March and 
April fr. greenish, ovoid-globose, of a sweet, sub-acid flavour. 
l. elli or elli oblon in. to 5in. long. h. 15ft. Jamai 
Ay pie spe long, in. long Jamaica, 
i } erect, ; corolla pale yellow 
marked with purple spots in the t large, funnel-shaped. the 
lobes crispately crenated, spreading. Tiare. h broadly elliptic. 
2 S. lsevis (smooth). jl. fragrant; calyx 4in. long, tubular, t 
lipped at the extremity ; corolla i AE white at 
the limb, nearly lft. long, slender below, bell-shaped above, the 
limb of five sin ly cri and. waved lobes ; 
or prase Noy giro gan ntact Rapin pra peeing 
; e, in rtion. 
Branches spreading, "aft. long. South America, 1846. (B. M. 
S. longifiora (long-flowered). fl., calyx about Zin. long ; coro 
white, with a purplish tinge, lit. long, the jobers uodciately 
toothed. November. fr. lżin. in diameter, Z. elliptic-, lanceo- 
late-, or obovate-oblong, 24in. to 4in. long. h. 6ft. Jamaica, 1846. 
attenuated at both ends, acuminate, br 
Brazil, 1815. Deciduous. (B. M. 1948. viene 
is now the correct name of this plant. 
n (the old Latin name, used by Pliny). 
Nightshade. Including Aquartia and p ERE ra 
Solanacew. An immense genus (upwards of 900 species 
have been described, but not more than 700 are dis- 
tinct as such) of spiny or unarmed, stove, green- 
house, or hardy shrubs, herbs, or small trees, of very 
variable habit; they are mostly confined to the hotter | 
parts of the globe, and are especially abundant in 
America. Flowers yellow, white, violet, or purplish; 
calyx campanulate or spreading, five or ten-toothed, lobed, 
or parted, rarely four-parted; corolla tube very shortly 
rotate or rarely broadly campanulate, the limb five (rarely 
four or six) lobed, plaited in bud; stamens five, rarely 
Solanum—continued. 
four or six; affixed to the throat; filaments very. short; 
cymes dichotomous or racemose, lateral or terminal. 
Berry globose or elongated. Leaves alternate or sub- — 
opposite in equal pairs, entire, lobed, or pinnatisect. The 
most important species in the genus is S. tuberosum, 
which has been exhaustively treated in this work under 
its common name, Potato. For the most recent conclu- 
sions respecting this species and the origin of the Potato, — 
see the papers published in vol. xxvi. of the “ Gardeners’ — 
Chronicle.” &. Melongena furnishes the fruit known © 
as Aubergine (which see), and the berries of several — 
other species are edible. S. Dulcamara (Bittersweet) — 
and S. nigrum are British plants. Solanums succeed in 
almost any rich, loamy soil. The annuals, and a large 
proportion of the other species, may be readily raised 
from seeds. Those which bear tubers may be increased 
thereby; and the stove and greenhouse shrubby plants 
may generally be propagated from cuttings, inserted, when 
young, in a warm propagating frame. For sub-tropical 
gardening, S. marginatum, 8S. robustum, and S. Warsce- 
wiczii are invaluable; S. Capsicastrum and S. Pseudo- 
capsicum are popular plants for greenhouse decorati 
when covered with their bright-coloured berries. Ont of 
twenty tuber-bearing species which have been named, 
J. G. Baker (in the “Journal of the Linnean Society. 
vol. xx.) is of opinion that “six, viz.: S. tuberosum, 
S. Maglia, 8. Commersoni, S. cardiophyllum, S. Jam 
and S. orycarpum, possess a fair claim to We conside 
as distinct species in a broad sense.” A large nu 
of the species have been introduced to cultivation, and 
many of them are highly deserving of a place in the 
garden; on account of their ornamental appearance. 
Except where otherwise indicated, those described below 
are shrubs. All flower in summer. ; oe 
S. acanthodes (spiny).* fl., cals hemispherical, b 
obed to about the 
€ red, and, as w 
prickly. Stem and branci dark 
prickly. h. 3ft. to 6ft. Brazil, 1863. 
S. æthiopicum (African). fl., cal 
corolla white, deeply five to pe Bim. the segme: 
oblong ; tacoma lew flowed ts 
edible. J. ovate-lanceolate, re 
late, 5in. lon 
Stem lft. to 
4in. 
A pena 
h. to te : 
L. B. C. 352.) SYN. Nycteri , m (B. M. 
S. Anguivi (Anguivi). A synonym of S. indicum. 
S. an 
fl. small; 
pedicels few 
calyx 
branous, glabrous; one petio 
apex, entire, slightly ciliated inte i other 
x creeping, hed. enezuela 
H araara (Ref. Be 255) PE T ie ; 
(dark purple).* fl., calyx tinged w T 
diluted Ee tae somewhat 
TA aei 
ae 
