SOLANE.E. 199 



leaves, the young shoots, the flowers, and even the 

 fruits, of the Convolvulaceae, when young, are innocuous 

 or almost inert, and the annual species might be eaten ; 

 but in the perennial stems and rootlets, where the sap 

 becomes decidedly lactescent, an active resin is pro- 

 duced, well known for its powerful cathartic properties." 

 (Burnett.) 



Officinal Plants. 



Convolvulus scammonia. 

 Ipomoea jalapa. 



36. SOLANEJS. 



Calyx 5, rarely 3-4-parted, persistent, inferior. Co- 

 rolla monopetalous, inferior, with a 5, (rarely 4) cleft 

 limb, regular or slightly irregular, and mostly plaited in 

 aestivation. Stamens placed upon the corolla, alternate 

 with its segments, and equal to them in number, but 

 sometimes from abortion reduced to four ; anthers de- 

 hiscing longitudinally, rarely by pores at their apex. 

 Ovarium two- celled and many ovuled ; style conti- 

 nuous ; stigma entire or two-lobed. Fruit capsular or 

 baccate ; when capsular, with a double dissepiment, pa- 

 rallel to the valves ; when baccate with the placentae 

 adhering to the dissepiments. Seeds many and sessile. 

 Embryo seldom straight ; albumen fleshy, and the ra 

 dicle towards the hilum. 



Herbs or shrubs with entire or divided alternate 

 leaves, the floral ones occasionally double and approxi- 

 mated to each other. Inflorescence variable ; pedicels 

 destitute of bractese. Allied to the next tribe Scrophu- 

 larinese. 



Geographical Relations. Generally distributed over 

 the world, but the largest proportion exist within the 

 tropics, and but few are observed to approach the frigid 

 zones. 



