304 NATURAL HISTORY. 



FORTY-SEVENTH FAMILY. SOLANACE^:. (Class 5, 

 Linn.) Plants herbaceous or shrubby; many of them 

 poisonous. 



Woody Night Shade Bitter Sweet (Solanum dul- 

 camara). Stem shrubby and climbing; leaves heart- 

 shaped, ovate ; flowers blue, in cymous clusters ; berries 

 oval and red. Found about hedges, low grounds, and 

 banks of rivulets in Europe, also from Arkansas to New 

 England. The root being chewed, gives at first a sensa- 

 tion of bitterness, then of sweetness. Leaves and twigs 

 have been used medicinally. *? . 



Horse Nettle (Sol. Carolinense), Black Niyht Shade 

 (Sol. nigrum Virginicum), belong to this family. 



The Jerusalem Cherry or Coral Tree (Solanum 

 pseudo capsicum) is shrub-like ; leaves lanceolate ; bears 

 white flowers. Kept in parlors or conservatories for its 

 beauty, as its cherry-like,, coral-red fruit is tasteless, and 

 although harmless, of no possible use. Native of Ma- 

 deira. ^ . 



The Common Potato (Solanum tuberosuni). Stem 

 herbaceous, somewhat creeping; leaves interruptedly 

 pinnate; flowers white or bluish; fruit globular, small, 

 greenish-yellow ; base and roots producing fleshy tubers 

 containing farina. A native of Peru, the potato was 

 unknown before the middle of the sixteenth century, 

 when it was sent to England by Sir Francis Drake. 

 Although he wrote a full description of the valuable 

 qualities of this useful esculent, he forgot to remark that 

 the tuberous portions of the root only were to be eaten. 

 Potatoes were accordingly planted in the royal gardens, 

 and grew well ; the small, berry-like fruit ripened, and 

 the head cook of Queen Elizabeth anticipated what great 

 honor he should receive in the preparation of a dish of 



