100 ENGLISH BOTANY. 



The name of this genus of plants is said to be derived from ArpoTroc (Airopos), one 

 of the three Fates, whose special duty it was to cut the thread of life ; because of its 

 deadly effects. 



SPECIES I— ATROPA BELLADONNA. Linn. 

 Plate DCCCCXXXIV. 



Eeich. Ic. Fl. Germ, et Helv. Vol. XX. Tab. MDCXXIX. 



Kootstock stoloniferous. Stem thick, herbaceous. Leaves broadly 

 ovate-oval, attenuated into short petioles, shortly acuminated or 

 acute at the apex, entire. Elowers drooping, solitary, stalked. 

 Peduncles from the forks of the stem and the axils of the leaves 

 above the forks, at length longer than the calyx. Corolla bell- 

 shaped, with 5 large teeth or lobes, which are subacute and slightly 

 reflexed. Plant sub-glabrous. 



In waste places and roadsides, especially near ruins and in 

 chalky and limestone districts. Eather rare, and probably planted 

 in many of its localities. Sparingly distributed over the greater 

 part of England ; rare in Scotland, though found as far North as 

 the counties of Porfar, Stirling, and Argyle. 



England, Scotland, Ireland. Perennial. Summer. 



Hootstock thick, fleshy, producing numerous subterranean 

 stolons as thick as a man's finger. Stem 2 to 4 feet high, thick, 

 simple at the base, dividing usually into 3, more rarely 2 or 4 

 branches, which are simple or again forked, or with short branches 

 from between the pairs of leaves. Leaves 3 to 10 inches long, 

 those on the branches smaller, in pairs alternately from opposite 

 sides of the stem, one leaf of each pair much larger than the 

 other. Peduncles in the forks of the stem and from between the 

 pairs of leaves on the branches ; the inflorescence is thus evidently 

 definite, and the stem beyond each flower developed from a lateral 

 bud. Calyx 5-clcft ; lobes ovate-acuminate. Corolla about 1 inch 

 long, much longer than the calyx, dull-purple tinged with green, 

 especially near the base ; lobes slightly unequal, recurved, acute. 

 Stamens included; filaments slightly unequal, hooked at the 

 apex ; anthers whitish. Style and stigma green. Calyx spreading 

 round the base of the purplish-black fruit, which is sub-globular, 

 depressed at the apex, and slightly constricted at the junction of 

 the carpels. Whole plant nearly glabrous or sparingly pubescent 

 with very short glandular hairs. 



Deadly Nightshade. 



French, Belladonne Veneneuse. German, Tollkirache. 



