THE POTATO FAMILY. 189 



flowers are quite different, showing how the vegetative 

 parts of plants acquire similar forms under like 

 conditions, as explained of Sta])G'lia (Fig. 90, p. 227). 



General BcscrijHion of the Conwlvidus Family. 



Herls — Mostly climbing by the stem, parasitic in 

 Cus'cuta. 



Leaves — Various, wanting in Cus'cuta. 



Flowers — Mostly large, handsome, parts in fives ; 

 corolla funnel or bell-sha]Ded, petals twisted in bud; 

 stamens adherent to corolla ; ovary, 2- or 4-celled, with 

 honey-disc below. 



Fruit — Capsule. 



Solanaceae. 



The Potato Family. 



This order contains some 1250 species of 65 genera 

 in 5 tribes. In South Africa there are 8 genera. 



Many of this family are poisonous, as the thorn- 

 apple, Datu'ra Stramo'nium, easily known by its long, 

 tubular white fiow^ers and prickly capsules, which is a 

 naturalized weed at the Cape. 



The Tobacco plant. Henbane, and Deadly Night- 

 shade are useful plants for medicine, but are all 

 dangerous herbs. The Mandrake, which was supposed 

 to shriek when torn out of the ground, but of which 

 the root was a charm against evil spirits, is a species 



