DICOTYLEDONS 



123 



the usual descriptions of the actions of poisons by 

 Shakespeare, which, he noted, are generally wrong, 

 that of the Mandrake is correct. It was used as 

 a narcotic anaesthetic by the ancients, for patients 

 undergoing amputations, and not discarded until 

 the fifteenth century. A wine was made from it 

 called " Morion." The Mandragora was taken by 

 some people, as many do opium now, and they 

 were called Mandragor- 

 ates. In the period of their 

 recovery from the intoxi- 

 cation they shrieked. 

 Shakespeare, however, 

 refers to the popular mis- 

 apprehension that it was 

 the root which shrieked 

 when drawn out of the 

 ground. 



Thorn-apple {Datura 

 Stramonium^ Fig. 31). — 

 This is a North American 

 plant, but is often found 

 wild on waste ground. 

 A variety with purple 

 flowers called D. Tatula 

 is sometimes cultivated. They are large plants, but 

 annuals, much branching in a forked manner. The 

 leaves are large, with a wavy and toothed margin ; 

 the flowers are three inches long, white, with a folded 



Fig XI. Datura Stramonium ; Thorn- 

 apple. 



