THE NIGHTSHADE FAMILY 



93 



not all of^he same size and there being smaller pinnse between 

 the larger j ones. The leaves contain a poison which is also 

 present in »all other green parts of the plant and especially in 

 the berry. 



The Flower, like the flower of the Chillies or of the Brinjal, 

 consists of a calyx with live segments, a disk- 

 shaped corolla with five lobes, alternating 

 with the sepals, and five yellow stamens, 

 again alternating with the lobes of the corolla 

 (fig. 89). The large pollen-bags are united 

 at their ends so as to form a cone surround- 

 ing the pistil (Plate No. 622, 5 and 7). The 

 anthers open by pores at their upper ends. 

 The Fruit is a round, green berry with 

 many seeds in two cells (Plate No. 622, 6 and 

 ^) which, however, cannot be depended on to produce plants that 

 will give fine tubers. They are, therefore, not used except by 

 nursery men Avho hope to obtain new varieties. 



Fig. 89. — Floral 



diagram of Solanacese 



(Petunia). 



(b) The Tobacco Plant (Nicotiana tahactim). 



(Plate No. 6 21.) 

 (Kan, Hogesoppu. Mai. Pukayila. Tani. Pugaiyilai. Hin. Tambaku.) 



1. This plant has come from America, like the Potato, and 

 is now cultivated in many districts of India. 



All parts of it are covered with sticky, glandular hairs which 

 keep off animals. The very large Leaves decrease in size towards 

 the upper part, thus giving the lower leaves the share of sunlight 

 which they need for the proper exercise of their functions. You 

 will notice, too, that the leaves are almost all bent down at their 

 tips. The plant has a deep, vertically growing taproot with side- 

 roots g¥awing_horizontally. Xhe latter, however, do not go be- 

 yond the circumference of the leaves and they, therefore, have 

 • their tender sucking parts just below the tips of the leaves. We 

 see now clearly why the leaves are bent down. When it rains, 

 alf the water does not run along the leafstalks to the inner 



