NAT. ORDER 



SolanacecB. 



DATURA STRAMONIUM. COMMON THORN-APPLE 



Class V. Pentandria. Order I. Monogynia. 



Gen. Char. Corolla, funnel-form, plaited. Calyx, tubular, angu- 

 lar, deciduous. Capsules, four-valved. 



Spe. Char. Pericarp, sjjinous, erect, ovate. Leaves, ovate, 

 smooth. 



The root is large, annual, white, divided, and fibrous ; the 

 stalk is thick, erect, round, smooth, shining, below simple, above 

 dicholomous, and rises from two to four feet in height ; the leaves 

 are alternate, large, broad towards the base, pointed at the ex- 

 tremity, indented, and formed into several obtuse angles, smooth, 

 dark green, and stand upon strong, round, short foot-stalks ; the 

 foioers are solitary, large, white, and placed on short, erect pedun- 

 cles, at the junction of the branches; the calyx is composed of 

 one leaf, tubular, pentangular, and divided at the brim into five 

 teeth ; the corolla is white, monopetalous, funnel-shaped, plicated, 

 cut at the margin into five teeth, and furnished with a long, cylin- 

 drical tube ; the ^\e filaments are tapering, about the length of the 

 calyx, adhering to the tube, and supplied with oblong, flat anthers ; 

 the germen is oblong, and placed above the insertion of the co- 

 rolla ; the style is filiform, equal in length to the filaments, and ter- 

 minated by a thick, blunt stigma ; the capsule is large, oval, fleshy, 

 beset with spines, divided into three cells, and four valves, which 

 contain numerous kidney-shaped seeds. It grows wild in most 

 parts of the United States, in waste places, gardens, and by the 

 road-side ; and flowers in July. 



Vol. ii.— 151 



