GOO 



SYSTEMATIC BOTANY. 



Natural Order 155. Atropaceje. — The Deadly Nio-htshade 

 Order {figs, 'dll, 978). — Diagnosis. — The plants included in 



Fig. 977. 



Fig. 978. 



Fip. 977. Vertical section of the 

 flower of Tobacco {Nicotiana 

 Tabacum) Fig. 978. Dia- 

 gram of the flower of Tobacco. 



this order were separated by Miers from the Solanaceoe and 

 Scrophulariuceaj, and formed into a distinct order under the 

 above name. In habit, character of the leaves, inflorescence, 

 calyx, ovary, fruit, and seeds, the Atropacea) agree essentially 

 M-ith the Solanaceai ; but they differ in the (Estivation of their 

 corollas being always more or less imbricated {figs. 466 and 978) 

 instead of valvate; in the lobes of the corolla being frequently 

 somewhat unequal; in 1 or more of the stamens, whicli are 

 normally 5, being more frequently sterile; and in the anthers 

 being either introrse or extrorse, and always dehischig longitu- 

 dinally. The chief distinctive character between the two orders 

 lies in the different ajstivation of their corollas. 



Distribution, Sfc. — They abound in tropical regions, but some 

 are found in most parts of the world except in the coldest 

 regions. Examples: — Nieotiana, Datura, Schizanthus, Salpi- 

 glossis, Petunia, Ilyoscyamus, Atropa, Lycium, Solandra, 

 IJrnnsfelsia. Miers enumerates 38 genera. This order with the 

 preceding contains about 1050 species. 



Properties and Uses. — Many plants of this order have power- 

 ful narcotic proi)crties ; hence several are very poisonous. 



Nicoliana.~-'\hc loaves of various species and varieties supply the difTerent 

 kinds of lobacoo, now in s.icli general use in some form or other in nearly 

 every p:>rt ol the Riobo. . Mr. Crawfor.l estimated the consumption of Tob.icco 

 HI tlie Briluh Islands in 1851 at 28,002,978 lbs., being at the rate of 1686 oz. 



