NEILGHERRY PLANTS. at 
Under this very extended generic character, Mr. Bentham ranges 109 species. The genus is a most 
natural one, so much so, that out of so large an assemblage only seven plants are excluded as having been 
erroneously referred, a truly rare case, especially in genera of such ancient date, this being a Linnean one. 
Like all very natural, large genera, the discrimination of its species is attended with much difficulty. The 
one here represented is so variable, that it might almost be split into two or three for being generally dis- 
tributed in both humid and dry soil, it assumes very different forms according as it grows in the one or 
other, sometimes quite erect, as in the specimen selected by the artist, at others ramous, all the branches 
lying flat on the ground without any central shoot. It also varies more or less in the depth of colour of its 
flowers. In all its forms however the hood or helmet (galea) is blunt or without a beak. There is another 
nearly allied Himalayan species, but not, so far as I have observed, found on the Hills, having the apex 
prolonged into a tapering beak, a character by which it is at once distinguished from this. Of the 107 
species belonging to the genus, 20 only are natives of India, mostly from the Himalayas. Two are indi- 
genous on the Neilgherries, one of them only found there, the other, P. zeylanica, has a wider range, being 
found on other hills and in Ceylon. | 
When dried for the herbarium they lose their colour and change to a dirty black. 
a truly beautiful flower. It varies considerably in 
its habit, growing, as in the instance selected for 
representation, quite erect, and having very few 
branches, even at the base, or loosely diffuse without 
Pepicuraris Zeyianica (Benth.), furfuraceo-pu- 
bescent, or rarely nearly glabrous; loosely ramous 
base; branches ascending or erect: leaves 
this obtuse, beakless. 
abundant on the Neilgherries is, when in perfection, 
any central stem, only a number of loose, procum- 
bent branches, springing on all sides from the crown 
to the root, eac i 
terminating in 
beautiful pink flowers. It commences flowering in 
June and July and continues until the end of the 
rains. 
. 
SOLANACE/E. 
This is a large and in many respects an interesting family, on account of its peculiar 
properties. As already remarked it very nearly coincides with Scrophulariacee in its 
botanical characters, mainly differing in its regular pentandrous flowers, these, in Scrophu- 
lariacee, being irregular with either two or four didynamous stamens. The ovary is the 
same in both, but the fruit is not equally uniform, being in some genera of Solanaceae, 
baccate, and in others capsular, while in the other it is almost always capsular. But as re- 
gards properties they are very different, those of Scrophulariacee being, with a few excep- 
tions, of small note, the plurality being nearly valueless to man, while those of Solanacee 
are in many instances highly energetic, furnishing, according to their mode of application, 
valuable remedies or deadly poisons. To this order we are indebted for Hyoscyamus, 
and Belladonna, two most valuable narcotics. To it also belongs the mischievous Datura, 
the narcotic properties of which are but too well known in India, but scarcely enough 
known to the Physician, since it is probable that if they were better known to him, he 
would find preparations of this plant in some cases even more valuable than either opium 
or henbane in inducing sleep in cases of extreme watchfulness and irritability. Its anti- 
spasmodic power in relieving asthmatic fits have been long known, but not much relied 
on, as it is seldom prescribed, perhaps from the uncertainty of its action. It is more used 
in India than Europe for this purpose, it being one of the native remedies often used for 
the palliation, at least, of this distressing disease. The most generally and extensively 
consumed plant of the order is perhaps the Tobacco, the facinating qualities of which in 
form of smoke and snuff have made it an almost universal favourite, with all classes and 
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