IN EXTRA-TROPICAL COUNTRIES. 313 



Solanum Guinense, La Marck. 



Within the tropics of both hemispheres. The berries of this 

 shrub serve as a dye of various shades, particularly violet, for 

 silk. 



Solanum indigoferum, St. Hilaire. 



Southern Brazil. A dye-shrub, deserving trial culture. 



Solanum Lycopersicum, Linne. (Lycopersicum esculentum. Mill.) 

 The Tomato. South America. Annual. Several varieties 

 exist, differing in shape and colour of the berries. It is one 

 of the most eligible plants with esculent fruits for naturalisa- 

 tion in desert country. As well known, the Tomato is adapted 

 for various culinary purposes. Tomato foliage can be placed 

 round fruit trees, like the equally poisonous potato leaves, to 

 prevent the access of insects, and an infusion of the herb 

 serves also as an insecticide for syringing, as first adopted by 

 Mr. Sircy. 



Solanum macrocarpum, Linne. 



Mauritius and Madagascar. A perennial herb. The berries 

 are of the size of an apple, globular and yellow. S. Thonningi 

 (F. Jacq.), from Guinea, is a nearly-related plant. S. calyci- 

 num (Moc. et Sees.), from Mexico, is also allied. 



Solanum Melongena, Linne. (8. ovigrum,'D\md; S. esculentum, 

 Dunal.) 



The Egg Plant. India and some other parts of tropical Asia, 

 A perennial plant, usually renewed in cultivation like an annual. 

 The egg-shaped large berries are known under the name of 

 Aubergines or Bringals or Begoons as culinary esculents. 

 Allied plants are S. insanum (L.), S. longum (Roxb.), S. 

 serpentinum (Desf.), S. undatum (Lam.), S. ferox (L.), S. 

 pseudo-saponaceum (Blume), S. album (Dour.), which all bear 

 large berries, considered harmless, but may not all represent 

 well-marked species. Absolute ripeness of all such kinds of 

 fruits is an unavoidable requisite, as otherwise even wholesome 

 sorts may prove acrid or even poisonous. Probably many 

 other of the exceedingly numerous species of the genus Sola- 

 num may be available for good-sized edible berries. 



Solanum muricatum, L'Heritier. 



The Pepino of Peru. A shrubby species with egg-shaped 

 edible berries, 'which are white with purple spots, and attain a 

 length of 6 inches. 



