DICOTYLEDONOUS PLANTS 



375 



five (four or six), united at the base; petals five (four or six), 

 united at the base or to form a campanulate tube; stamens at- 

 tached to the corolla and alternate with its lobes ; ovary two or 

 more chambered; fruit a many-seeded dry capsule or pulpy 

 berry. A large family containing many economic plants. 



The potato (Solanum tuberosum) is a very familiar plant 

 which was given to the world by America. The Spanish ex- 



Fio. 217. Potato production. 



plorers found it cultivated by the natives of the cooler Andean 

 regions. The method of its introduction into Europe is some- 

 what uncertain. Some believe that it was carried to Spain by 

 the Spaniards and also to Florida and from there to Virginia 

 and from thence to England. Others believe that potatoes were 

 found on a Spanish ship which was captured by the English 

 and then introduced into the British Isles, The Europeans were 

 very slow to learn its food values, and it is said to have been 



