SOLANACEiE. ^NIGHTSHADE FAMILY.) .;|7 



our species). Capsule 4-seeded. Embryo filiform, coiled around fleshy albu- 

 men. Cotyledons none. — Twining parasites, germinating in the ground, but 

 early decaying at the root. Stems filiform, yellow or reddish, without leaves, 

 or with minute scales in their place. Flowers white, small, variously clustered, 



* Flowers ptdicelled, with few and distant bracts : cuh/.r 4 - 5-tdeft : corolla bell- 

 shaped, persistait at the base of the capsule. 



1. C. arvensis, Beyrich. Low; flowers small, 5-parted, in loose umbel- 

 like cymes; lobes of the corolla lanceolate, acuminate, spreading or reflexed, 

 longer than the tube ; scales ovate, often partly exserted ; capsule globose, thin, 

 yellowish — Fields and sterile soil, on small herbs, Florida to North Carolina. 

 June and July. — Stems 1° high. Flowers the smallest of our species. 



2. C. Gronovii, Willd. Stem climbing high; flowers mostly 5-cleft, in 

 loose paniculate cymes ; lobes of the corolla ovate, obtuse, spreading, mostly 

 shorter than the tube ; scales large, confluent at the base ; capsule globose, 

 brown. (C. Americana, Pursh., DC.) — Low shady places, on coarse herbs, 

 Florida, and northward. Aug. - Oct. 



3. C. neuropetala, Engelm. Stem branching ; flowers rather large, 

 5-parted, in smooth umbcl-likc cymes ; lobes of the calyx ovate-lanceolate, 

 acute; lobes of the corolla ovate, acuminate, crenulate, 1-nerved, spreading, as 

 long as the tube ; scales ovate, incurved, as long as the tube. — Damp soil, 

 Florida, and westward. May. 



4. C. rostrata, Shuttl. Stem twining high; flowers large, 5-parted, in 

 umbel-like cymes ; lobes of the calyx ovate, obtuse ; lobes of the corolla ovate, 

 obtuse, spreading and at length reflexed, half as long as the tube ; scales connate 

 at the base; capsule large, acute. — Shaded moist places on tall herbs, on the 

 mountains of North Carolina, and northward. 



* * Flowers sessile, in compact clusters : calyx of 5 separate sepals, surrounded by 

 several similar bracts : corolla persistent at the apex of the capsule. 



5. C. compacta, Juss. Stems climbing high ; bracts and sepals orbicu- 

 lar, concave, denticulate, imbricated ; tube of the corolla equalling or longer 

 than the calyx, the oblong obtuse lobes spreading ; scales confluent at the 

 base; capsule globose-ovate. — Damp shady places, Florida, and northward. 

 July - Oct. — Clusters often continuous, and spirally coiled around herbs 

 and shrubs. 



Order 100. SOLANACEiE. (Nightshade Family.) 



Herbs or shrubs, -with colorless juice, alternate leaves, and regular axil- 

 lary or supra-axillary flowers. — Calyx 4 - 7 -cleft, or 4 - 7-toothed, persist- 

 ent, often inflated in fruit. Corolla 5-10-lobed, plaited anil valvate, 

 convolute, or imbricated in the bud. Stamens 4-7, inserted on the tube 

 of the corolla : anthers 2-celled, opening lengthwise or by terminal pores. 

 Style and stigma single. Fruit a 2-celled (rarely 3-5-celled) many- 



