HORSE NETTLE 



613 



more or less fleshy and on which are borne numerous seeds; the latter 

 are broadly elliptical or somewhat reniform, flattened, campylo- 

 tropous, about 2 mm. in length, yellowish or dark brown and nearly 

 smooth, endosperm large, embryo curved: odor slight; taste slightly 

 bitter and acrid. 



K 



FIG. 268. Horse nettle (Solanum carolinense) : A, portion of shoot showing 

 flowers and fruits and spines on leaves and stem. B, longitudinal section of 

 spine (s) and portion of stem showing glandular (g) and non-glandular (h) 

 hairs, and cells containing sphenoidal microcrystals (ca). C, thick-walled, 

 strongly lignified cells of spine. D, portion of fibrovascular bundle showing 

 microcrystals (ca) of calcium oxalate in the cells accompanying the sieve. 

 E, stellate, non-glandular hair. F, stoma of stem. G, diagram of cross- 

 section of flower showing sepals (s), petals (p), stamens (a), ovary (c). H, 

 longitudinal section of flower. 7, stamen showing terminal pores. J, 

 cross-section of 2-locular berry. K, pollen grains about 0.030 mm. in diam- 

 eter. 



Constituents. An alkaloid, solnine, which crystallizes in ortho- 

 rhombic prisms, that are insoluble in water and very soluble in 



