207- SOL AN ACE AE 48I 



SUBORDER SOLANINEAE 



FAMILY 207. SOLANACEAE 



Leaves alternate, sometimes in pairs, simple, but sometimes {Solanum) 

 dissected. Flowers solitary or in cymose inflorescences, 5-merous, very rarely 4- 

 or pleio-merous. Corolla of united petals, usually regular or nearly so, mostly 

 folded lengthwise in the bud. Stamens as many as the divisions of the corolla 

 and alternating with them, rarely some of them rudimentary. Anthers turned 

 inwards. Disc usually distinct. Ovary superior, 2 — 4-, rarely 5- or more-celled, 

 usually 2-celled with the partition oblique to the median plane of the flower, 

 rarely (Capsicum) incompletely septate. Ovules axile, usually numerous, 

 inverted. Style simple ; stigma usually 2-lobed. Fruit a berry or a capsule. 

 Seeds albuminous. — Genera 16, species 220. (Including ATROPACEAE.) 

 (Plate 135.) 



1. Fertile stamens fewer than the corolla-lobes, 2, rarely 4. Corolla violet or 



yellow, tube- or funnel-shaped ; lobes 5, club-shaped, alternating with 

 entire or 2-lobed appendages. Ovary 2-celled. Fruit a capsule. Seeds 

 with straight embryo. Herbs. Leaves undivided. Flowers panicled. 

 — Species 2. Central Africa. They yield fish-poison. [Tribe SAL- 



PIGLOSSIDEAE.] Schwenkia L. 



Fertile stamens cis many as the corolla-lobes, 5, rarely 4 2 



2. Ovary 3 — 5-celled. Embryo much curved. Leaves entire, toothed, or 



lobed. Flowers solitary, large 3 



Ovary 2-celled, rarely incompletely 2-celled or many-celled by cultiva- 

 tion 4 



3. Ovary-cells and placentas unequal. Calyx 5-partite with obcordate 



segments, enlarged after flowering and enveloping the fruit. Corolla 

 blue, regular, bell-shaped. Fruit a berry. Herbs. — Species i. Natur- 

 alized in various regions. An ornamental and medicinal plant. {Penta- 

 gonia Heist.) [Tribe NICANDREAE.] . . . Nicandra Adams 



Ovary-cells and placentas equal, 4. Calyx tubular, 5-lobed, deciduous 

 excepting the base. Corolla funnel-shaped, with a long tube. — Species 

 5, one of them only naturalized. They yield poisons, dyes, intoxicants, 

 and medicaments, and serve as ornamental plants. " Thorn-apple." 

 (Including Bnigmansia Pers.) [Tribe DATUREAE.] . Datura L. 



4. Seeds with a straight or slightly curved embryo, usually thick. Corolla 



with a long tube and a comparatively narrow limb. Flowers in cymes 



or cymose panicles. Leaves undivided. [Tribe CESTREAE.] . 5 



Seeds with a strongly curved embryo, flat. [Tribe SOLANEAE.] . . 6 



5. Fruit a berry with one or few large seeds. Ovules few in each ovary-cell. 



Stamens inserted at or below the middle of the corolla-tube. Flowers 

 in cymes. Trees or shrubs. — Species 2. Naturalized in several islands. 

 Ornamental and medicinal plants. [Subtribe cestrinae.] 



Oestrum L. 



2H 



