130 PENTANDRIA MONOGYNIA. QcL. V. 



29. A'TROPA. DEADLY NIGHT-SHADE. 



Calyx inferior, of one leaf, permanent, deeply divided into five 

 acute, somewhat unequal segments. Corolla of one petal, bell- 

 shaped ; the tube very short ; the limb tumid, egg-shaped, longer 

 than the calyx, with five shallow, nearly equal, marginal segments. 

 Filaments awl-shaped, spreading and curved above, nearly as long 

 as the corolla. Germen egg-shaped, with a gland beneath. Style 

 thread-shaped, inclining upwards, as long as the corolla; stigma 

 knobbed. Berry globular, with two lateral furrows, two-celled. 

 Seeds numerous, kidney-shaped, attached in each cell to a fleshy 

 receptacle, fixed to the partition. Named after Atropos, one of 

 the Fates. 114. 



1. A. Belladi'mna. Deadly Night-$hade. Stem herbaceous ; leaves egg- 

 shaped, undivided. Stem three feet high, round, branched, slightly 



downy ; flowers solitary, stalked, dull-purple. The whole plant is fetid 

 and poisonous. Children are apt to eat the shining black berries, which 

 have a sweetish taste, but in the smallest quantity produce fatal effects. 

 Perennial : flowers in June : grows in hedges and waste ground : not 

 common. Eng. Bot. vol. ix. pi. 592. Eng'Fl. vol. i. p. 317. 359. 



30. SOLA'NUM. NIGHT-SHADE. 



Calyx inferior, of one leaf, divided into five acute, permanent 

 segments. Corolla of one petal, wheel-shaped ; tube very short ; 

 limb much longer, reflected, plaited, divided into five acute seg- 

 ments. Filaments awl-shaped, short ; anthers much longer than 

 the filaments, oblong, angular, close together, with two terminal 

 pores. Germen roundish. Styles thread-shaped, longer than the 

 stamens, deciduous ; stigma obtuse. Berry roundish, glossy, with 

 a terminal scar, two-celled. Seeds numerous, roundish, com- 

 pressed, attached to a fleshy receptacle, connected with the par- 

 tition. Name doubtful. 115. 



1. S, Dulcamdra. Bitter-sweet. Woody Night-shade. Stem shrubby, 

 undulated, thornless ; upper leaves halbert-shaped ; clusters cymose. 



Stem branched, twining: lower leaves heart-shaped or egg-shaped: 



corolla purple, with two round green spots at the base of each segment : 

 berries oval, scarlet. The root and leaves have been applied to various 

 medicinal uses. The berries are poisonous. A shrub: flowers in June 

 and July : grows in thickets and hedges : frequent. Eng. Bot. vol. viii. 

 pi. 365. Eng. Fl. vol. i. p. 318. 360. 



2. S. nigrutn. Common Night -shade. Stem herbaceous, thornless ; 



leaves egg-shaped, toothed, angular; umbels lateral, drooping. Stem 



branched, angular : flowers white : berries globular, black. The whole 

 plant is fetid and narcotic, and has been employed medicinally. The 

 potatoe belongs to this family, the species of which are generally ex- 

 tremely poisonous. Annual: flowers from June to September: grows 

 in waste places near houses : common in England ; rare in Scotland. 

 Eng. Bot. vol. viii. pi. 566. Eng. Fl. vol. i. p. 319. 361. 



