DAT 



DAT 



red about the plants. The former should have 

 a dry warm aspect where the land is poor, but 

 the latter succeeds in such as are more cool ; 

 these plants are sufficiently hardy to succeed in 

 the open air, when the winters are not very 

 severe. 



The last sort, is raised by sowing the seeds 

 procured from its native situation, on a gentle 

 hot-bed in the autumn or spring, and when the 

 plants are of sufficient growth removing them in- 

 to separate pots, to be placed under the protec- 

 tion of the greenhouse. It is much more ten- 

 der than the other sorts. 



The first and second kinds are highly orna- 

 mental plant6 in the clumps, borders, and other 

 conspicuous parts near the house, the former 

 flowering early, and where many are together 

 affording a fine fragrance. 



The other sorts, though more tender, are cu- 

 rious, and afford an agreeable variety in assem- 

 blage with others of similar growth, either in 

 the borders or among potted plants. 



DATURA, a genus affording plants of the 

 herbaceous flowery annual kind. Thorn Apple. 



It belongs to the class and order Pentandria 

 Monogynia, and ranks in the natural order of 

 Luridce. 



The characters are: that the calyx is a one- 

 leafed, oblong perianthium, tubular, bellied, five- 

 cornered, five-toothed, horizontally deciduous 

 near the base, the remaining circular part per- 

 manent : the corolla one-petalled, funnel-form : 

 tube cylindric, almost longer than the calyx : 

 border erect-expanding, five-cornered, five- 

 plaited, almost entire, with five acuminate 

 teeth : the stamina consist of five subulate fila- 

 ments, length of the calyx : anthers oblong, 

 compressed, obtuse : the pistillum is an ovale 

 germ : style filiform, straight : stigma thickish, 

 obtuse, two-plaited : the pericarpium is a some- 

 what ovate capsule, two-celled, four-valved, 

 seated on the base of the calyx : receptacles 

 convex, large, dotted, affixed to the dissepi- 

 ment : the seeds numerous and kidney-form. 



The species cultivated are : 1 . D. Strainonium, 

 Common Thorn-apple; 2. D. Tatula, Blue 

 Thorn-apple; 3. D. jastuosa, Purple Thorn- 

 apple; 4. D. MeteL, Hairy Thorn-apple; 5. D. 

 arborea, Tree Thorn-apple. 



The first has the stem from one to six feet in 

 height, according to the soil, but seldom more 

 than two feet, round, smooth; dividing into 

 many strong, irregular branches, which are hol- 

 low, covered with a fine down: the leaves from 

 the forking of the stem and branches, single, 

 scarcely six" inches long, petioltd, pointed, deep 

 green on the upper surface, paler beneath and on 

 the edges, with strong ribs or nerves, unequally 



sinuated and toothed about the edge, extending 

 further down the petiole on one side than on the 

 other: the petioles round, downy, shorter than 

 the leaves, above faintly channelled : the (lowers 

 single from the axils, on short peduncles, up- 

 right (first from the forks of the branches, and 

 afterwards near the extremities), of a whitish co- 

 lour, succeeded by oval prickly capsules, termed 

 thorn-apples. It is a native of America. 



The second species resembles the common 

 sort, but is twice the size: the stem is purplish 

 with white dots, divided at an acute angle, 

 smooth and even: the leaves more finely toothed, 

 and, if they be flatted, cordate: the fWers pale 

 blue, or purple, succeeded by erect spinous cap- 

 sules. 



The third rises with a fine polished purple 

 stalk four feet high, dividing into several 

 branches: the leaves are large, smooth, sinua- 

 ted, on pretty long foot-stalks : the flowers are- 

 produced at the divisions of the branches; they 

 have large swelling tubes, which spread very- 

 broad at the top, their brims having ten angles, 

 each ending in a long slender point, are of a 

 beautiful purple on their outside and a satiny 

 white within; some of them single, others with 

 two or three flowers standing one within an- 

 other, and some double, having four or five pe- 

 tals within each other of equal length, so as to 

 appear a full flower at the brim ; they have an 

 agreeable odour at first. It is a native of the 

 East Indies. 



The fourth species has a strong stem three 

 feet high, dividing into many woolly branches: 

 the leaves have only two or three slight inden- 

 tures on their edges : the flowers have long 

 tubes, which extend beyond the bifid calyx, then 

 spreading out very broad where the brim is 

 divided into ten obtuse angles; they are of a 

 pure white above, but the tubes have a tincture 

 of green within : they are succeeded by roundish 

 fruit closely covered with thorns. It is a na- 

 tive of Asia, &c. 



The fifth rises with a woody stalk to the 

 height of twelve or fourteen feet, dividing into 

 several branches. Leaves oblique, six inches 

 long, two inches and a half broad in their widest 

 part, growing narrower at each end, downy, 

 on long footstalks, which stand nearer to one 

 side than the other. The flowers come out at 

 the divisions of the branches; they have a loose 

 tubular calyx near four inches long, which 

 opens at the top on one side like a spathe : the 

 tube of the flower is narrow; but above, it 

 swells very large, near six inches in length, then 

 spreads open at the brim, where it is divided in- 

 to five angles, which terminate in very long 

 points; they are white, with some longitudinal 



