286 SOLANAC'E^. [HYOSCYAMTJS, 



ORDER LIU. SOLAN A'CE2. 



Herbs or shrubs (rarely trees). Leaves alternate, or in pairs, or sub- 

 opposite, simple lobed or pinnatisect, exstipulate. iVowers regular, on 1- 

 or more-fld. supra- axillary or axillary ebracteate cymes. Calyx inferior, 

 5-fid, usually persistent, often enlarged in fruit. Corolla hypogynons, 

 rotate campanulate or salver-shaped ; lobes 5, imbricate plicate or indupli- 

 cate-valvate in bud. Stamens 5, rarely unequal, inserted on the corolla- 

 tube, short ; anthers connivent or cohering by their tips, opening inwards 

 by slits or terminal pores. Disk annular. Ovary 2- or incompletely 

 4-oelled ; style simple, stigma simple or lobed ; ovules many, amphi- 

 tropous, placentas on the septum. Fruit a many-seeded capsule or berry. 

 Seeds small, usually compressed, reniform, hilum ventral or lateral, testa 

 thick, albumen fleshy ; embryo terete, straight or curved, in- or out-side 

 the albumen, radicle next the hilum. DISTRIB. Chiefly tropical ; genera 

 t>6 ; species about 1,250. AFFINITIES. With Convolvulacew and Scro- 

 phularinece. PROPERTIES. Narcotic and excitant, or tonic and bitter, 

 pungent or stimulant. 



Corolla subcampanulate. Capsule 2-celled 1. Hyoscyamus, 



Corolla rotate, anthers with pores. Berry 2-celled 2 . Solanum . 



Corolla subcampanulate, anthers with slits. Berry 2-celled 3. Atropa. 



l.. HYOSCY'AMUS, Tournef. HENBANE. 



Annual or biennial, heavy-scented herbs, often viscid. Leaves toothed o 

 sinuate-pinnatifid. Flowers axillary, or in bracteate scorpioid cymes, 

 honeyed. Calyx urceolate, 5-toothed. Corolla irregular, bell- or funnel- 

 shaped ; lobes 5, unequal, obtuse, plaited in bud. Stamens 5, inserted at 

 the base of the corolla-tube, declinate ; anthers with slits. Ovary 2-celled ; 

 style simple, stigma capitate ; ovules many. Capsule hidden in the calyx- 

 tube, constricted in the middle, 2-celled, membranous, circumsciss at the 

 crown, many-seeded. Seeds reniform, punctate. DISTRIB. Warm and. 

 temp. Europe, Africa, and Asia ; species about 9. ETYM. obscure. 



H. niger, L. ; pubescent, leaves angled toothed or subpinnatifid. 

 Sandy waste places, from Forfar and Dumbarton southd.; not native in 

 Scotland ; Ireland ; Channel Islands ;.fl. June- Aug. Foetid and viscid ; hairs 

 pale, soft, glandular. Stem 1-2 ft., stout, branching, terete. Radical leaves 

 6-8 in., petioled, ovate ; cauline oblong, amplexicaul, witH few large lobes 

 or teeth. Flowers 2-seriate, subsessile. Calyx-tube ovoid; limb subcyrin- 

 dric, 5-toothed. Corolla 1-1 J in. diam., lurid yellow, veined with purple 

 (or not, H. gal'lidus, Kits.) ; lobes broad, subequal. Anthers purple. Calyx- 

 tube globose in fruit, in. diam., veined. DISTRIB. Europe, N. Africa, N. 

 and W. Asia, India. Anodyne and antispasmodic. 



2. SOLA'NUM, Tournef. NIGHTSHADE. 



Herbs or shrubs (rarely trees). Leaves scattered or in pairs, entire or 

 divided. Flowers solitary fascicled or cymose, white or blue, honeyless, 



