522 DICOTYLEDONES. 



Fig. 555) ; corolla campanulate ; the calyx projects beneath the 

 spherical, black berry. The flowers are 'borne singly. Mandra- 

 gora; (Mandrake) ; Nicandra (ovary often 5-locular). A small tropical 

 group: CESTRE^E (Cestrum, Habrothamnus, etc.) has an almost straight embryo, 

 which may also be found e.g. in species of Nicotiana. Belated to the Scro- 

 phulariaceae. 



About 1.500 species ; the majority within the Tropics, outside these limits 

 especially in America. Solanum nigrum is a common weed. The Potato-plant 

 (Solanum tuberosum), from Peru and Chili, was introduced into Europe in 1584 

 by Sir Walter Ealeigh. (Potatoes = Batatos). The fruits of several serve as con- 

 diments : Chilies or Pod-pepper (Capsicum annuuru and longum), and the Cayenne- 

 pepper (C. baccatum and others), whose fruits also are officinal, were brought to 

 Europe from S. America by Columbus, and are commonly cultivated in Tropical 

 America; Lycopersicum esculentum (Tomato) and others from Peru; Solanum 

 ovigerum (Egg-plant) ; Solanum melongena, etc. Poisonous, acrid, narcotic pro- 

 perties (alkaloids, etc., solanine, nicotine, atropine, hyoscyamine) are found in 

 many: Atropa belladonna (from S.Europe; the roots and leaves are officinal); 

 Solanum dulcamara (Bitter-sweet ; formerly officinal), S. toxicariiim (Guiana) ; 

 Datura stramonium from Asia (leaves and seeds officinal), D. sanguinea, metel, 

 tatula, and others ; Hyoscyamus (officinal : the leaves and seeds of H. niger) ; 

 Nicotiana tabacinn (Virginian tobacco, officinal : the leaves), N. rustica and 

 others from Trop. America (Tobacco was introduced into Europe in 1560) ; 

 Osfrww-species. Duboisia myoporoides (Australia); the leaves contain hyoscya- 

 mine and are used in medicine. A number of species of these genera are orna- 

 mental plants. 



Order 2. Nolanacese. These most resemble the Convolvulaceae in t >e 

 corolla, but the Solanacese in their branching, and leaf-arrangement (in pairs, 

 etc.). The diagram is the same as in Nicandra with 5 carpels, but the fruits 

 of this order most frequently form, by invaginations in various directions, an 

 ovary (with 1 style) consisting of numerous and irregularly grouped, 1-ovuled 

 cells; the fruit is a schizocarp with many 1-seeded fruitlets. Nolana (Wtstern 

 S. America) : a few are ornamental plants. 



Order 3. Scrophulariacese. The flower is hypogynous, $ , 

 zyyom orphic, with the usual type : S5, P5, A5, and G2, the latter 

 placed in the median plane ; some genera have all 5 stamens de- 

 veloped (Fig. 562 A), but most frequently the posterior one is sup- 

 pressed and the flower becomes didynamous (Fig. 562 S}. The fruit, 

 as in the capsular-fruited Solanacese, is abilocular, 2-valved capsule, 

 with a thick, axile placenta, and most often septicidal dehiscence 

 (Fig. 563 C}. The numerous seeds are not reniform as in many 

 Solanacece, and have a straight, or only slightly curved embryo, with 

 abundant endosperm (Fig. 563 D). The majority are herbs; some 

 are arborescent ; the leaves are opposite or scattered, but stipules 

 are wanting as in the whole family. 



The Scrophulariaceas are closely allied to the Solanaceae, and there is, properly 



