SOLANACE.E 



;7i 



using the tubers of a [)lant as their i)riiui|)al l"ot»«l. There is 

 no evidenee that he or his party inl roihiecl them into 

 Europe." 



Wild plants have been found on the Peruvian coast, on 

 the mountains of Chile, Central America, Mexico, and 

 southwestern I'nited Slates. However, without a di)ul)t 



Fig. 235. — The wild potato of southwest United States (SuUinam jamcsii). 

 (After Fitch. Colo Agr. Exp. Sta.) 



tliose which were introduced into Kuroi)c were from culti- 

 vated plants and not from wild tuberous American species. 

 There is little doubt that South .\merica, in the neighborhood 

 of (Juito, is the place from wliich the potato was lirst intro- 

 duced into S])ain early in tlie Si.xleenlh cenlur_\-. 



\\\cv a careful study of all possible axailablc l_\ pes and 

 species of Sohmiim, and a perusal of the available litrraturc 

 and records, F. Berthault has come to the conclusion that 

 .V. Iiihrrosiini is characterized and differentiated from all 

 other wild tuberous 5(>/'//////».v by its lloral characters, notablx' 

 its rotate corolla, and its cal>\ whith is always mucronati' 

 (sharp-pointed). All agricultural \arieties of the cultivated 



