228 GAMOPETALOUS EXOGENS 



mon Potato is a native of Peru, in South America. It has been 

 introduced into England about a century and a half, but was 

 amongst us a long time before much attention was paid to it, nor 

 did it come into use in the families of the higher class of people, 

 till within a few years past." 



^J. S. rilarum, L. Leaves ovate, obscurely repand-dentate ; flowers 

 in lateral umbel-like cymes ; fruit globose, small, black. 

 BLACK SOLANUM. Common Night-shade. 



Annual. Stem 1 to 2 feet high, much branched, angular, or slightly winged. 

 leaves 2 to 3 inches long ; petioles about an inch in length. Umbel-like cymes 

 few-flowered, extra-axillary, nodding. Corolla white, small. Berries about % of 

 an inch in diameter. 

 Hub. Waste places. Nat. of Europe. Fl. July. Fr. Sept. 



Obs. The books enumerate a var. Virginicum, as though it were 

 indigenous ; but I am pretty well satisfied that our plant is a natu- 

 ralized foreigner. It is a worthless, disagreeable weed reputed 

 poisonous, withal, and ought to be expelled from the vicinity of 

 all dwellings. 



3. S. Dulcamara, L. Somewhat shrubby and climbing; leaves 

 cordate-ovate, the upper ones often hastate, or auriculate-lobed 

 at base; flowers in lateral cymes; fruit oval, small, red. 

 BITTER-SWEET SOLANUM. Bitter-sweet. Woody Nightshade. 



Perennial. Stem 4 to 6 or 8 feet long, flexuose, smoothish. Leaves 2 to 4 inches 

 long; petioles % an inch to an inch in length. Cymes opposite the leaves, nod- 

 ding; pedicels half an inch long, clavate; common peduncle about 2 inches in 

 length ; corolla Tiolet-purple, the lobes spreading or reflexed, each with 2 green 

 dots, or tubercles, at base. Berry near % an inch long. 

 Hob. About houses, &c. Nat. of Europe. Fl. July. Fr. Sept. 



Obs. This has become naturalized in many places. The berric* 

 are poisonous ; and as their bright red appearance, when ripe, may 

 tempt children to eat them, the plant is not a desirable one, about 

 houses, or gardens. 



2. Stem and leares more or less prickly. 



4. S. MELONGENA, L. Tomcntose; leaves ovate, sinuate-lobed, 

 unequal at base ; flowers 5- to 7- or 10-parted, pendulous, on lai>- 

 eral thickened solitary peduncles ; fruit ovoid, or oval, white, or 

 dark purple, mostly very large. 



5. insanum. L. $ FL Cestr. ed. 2. p. 187. 

 Egg-plant. Mad Apple. Jews' Apple, 



Annual. Plant clothed with a whitish stellate tomentum. Stem about 2 feet 

 high, becoming somewhat woody at base. Leaves 4 to 8 or 9 inches long; petioles 

 1 to 3 inches in length. Peduncles sometimes dichotomous, bearing 2 flowers. 

 GcfroUa Tiolet-purple, pubescent. Berries 3 to 6 or 8 inches in diameter. * ... 

 Hab. Gardens. Nat. of India. Fl. July. Fr. Sept. 



Obs. Cultivated for the fruit. Long culture, as usual, has pro- 

 duced several striking varieties. The var. ovigerum, or true Egg- 

 plant, is nearly destitute of prickles, and bears a smaller white 

 berry, which exceedingly resembles an Egg : while tlie var. esculen- 



