PLATE 352. 



SOLANUM AURICULATUM Ait. (Fl. Cap. Vol. IV., p. 94). 

 Natural Order, SOLANACEAE. 



An unarmed shrub reaching to l"2 or 15 feet in height, and much branched, 

 "branches, inflorescence, petiole and under sides of leaves densely covered with 

 stellate, floccose tomentum." Flowers violet-purple, with a central 5-rayed white 

 star, one ray of which extends along 4 of the lobe. Leaves oblong or ovate- 

 oblong, entire, accuminate, cuneate at base, midrib and veins very prominent 

 beneath, pubescent with stellate hairs above ; 8 to 12 lines long by 3 to 4J, wide ; 

 petiole 1 to 2 inches long, terete ; young axillary leaves, ovate to subrotund, 

 curved resembling stipules. Inflorescence terminal, corymbose, many-flowered ; 

 peduncles up to 4 inches long. Calyx gamosepalous, canipanulate, 5-lobed, tube 

 campanulate, lobes triangular, obtuse, the whole calyx 2-J inches long. Corolla 

 gamopetalous, 5-lobed, lobes oblong, acute, spreading to 7 to 8 lines diameter, 

 glabrous above, finely stellate pubescent beneath. Stamens 5, erect, inserted in 

 throat of tube, filaments very short, anthers 2-celled, opening by two oblique, 

 apical pores. Ovary 2-celled, mauy-ovuled, clothed with straight simple hairs : 

 style longer than stamens ; stigma clavate. Fruit a globose, many-seeded berry, 

 5-8 lines diameter, stellate-tomentose, yellow when ripe. Seeds small, yellow, 

 rugose. 



Habitat : NATAL, near Durban, 100 feet alt. Wood No. 11!) : 1298 : " Also in 

 Mascarene Islands and Central and South Tropical America." 



This is the tallest species of the genus that we have in Natal, often having 

 the appearance of a small tree ; it is most probably an imported species, though it 

 has evidently been in the Colony for many years as Wood's 1298 was collected in 

 1881. It is confined to the Coast districts, and was, about 1881, only found in 

 the vicinity of towns, since that time it has become more widely distributed. It 

 is known to the natives as im-Totovani, they do not use it in any way, bul say 

 that birds are very fond of the seeds. 



Fig. 1, lower portion of branch showing leaves ; 2, upper portion of branch 

 with inflorescence ; 3, fmit ; 4, flower ; 5, calyx ; 6, corolla opened ; 7, stamen ; 

 8, pistil ; 9, stellate hair from leaf. Except figures 1, 2, 3, all enlarged. 



