BY E. CHEtL. 597 



T. White: March, I 915).— »South Australia : near Adelaide (Dr. 

 J. B. Clelaiid; 1898). 



vSpecimeiis from plants growing wild at Ashfield and Suninjer 

 HilJ were fed to a guinea-pig, which ate the leaves without any 

 ill effects. In addition to the above, plants of the following 

 have been grown from seed, which have produced reddish or 

 yellowish-coloured berries when fully ripe, but none of these 

 appear to have become naturalised in Australia, so far as can 

 be ascertained. 



*S. miniatitm Bernh. Seeds were obtained from Madrid, Spain, 

 and produced plants having vejy downy branches and leaves, 

 white flowers, and pink or reddish berries. 



.V. jia-vwiu and <S'. nthntm also had pink berries, and seem to 

 belong to -S'. niuiicUum. 



i'. ochroleucuni had green beriies with yellowish stripes, when' 

 fully matured. 



Summary. 



(1) It will be seen from the foregoing that .S'. n'ujruru of 

 liurope, figured in English Botany, tab. 56G, lias not yet ijeen 

 found in Australia. 



(2) That there are at least three distinct species or subs{)ecies 

 found in Australia and the Pacific Islands, namely, S'. opacnm, 

 S. pterocaulon, and .S'. astroites. 



(3) That although the evidence seems to indicate that some of 

 the plants are harmful, no definite evidence has been furnished 

 as to which of the three species found in Australia are harmful. 



(4) That as solanine is present, at least in some of the species, 

 it would be unwise to use the fruits for edible purposes unless it 

 could be proved that the alkaloid was volatile, and its harmful 

 effects destroyed by cooking. 



BIBLIO(^KAPHY. 

 1. AiToN, W. J.— Horlu.s Keweiisis. \o\. i., p.rW.M iSlfl). 

 •2. AiTCHisoN. Dr. J. K. T.— Trans. IJiin. Sue. (2ik1 Ser. ). iii.. pp. 9. 91 

 (1888). 



3. Backhouse, J. A. — Narrative (jf a Visit to the Australian Colonies, 



p.-2H4(1843). 



4. Bao^ey, F. M. — A Classified Index ol the Indigenous and Naturahsed 



Plants of Queensland, p. •28(1883). 



