I 



30 PENTANDRIA MONOGYNIA. [cL. T. 



29. A'TROPA. DEADLY NIGHT-SKADE. 



Calyx inferior, of one leaf, permanent, deeply divided into 

 five acute, somewhat unequal segments. Corolla of one petal, 

 bell-shaped ; the tube very short ; the limb tumid, egg-shaped, 

 longer than the calyx, with five shallow, nearly equal, margi- 

 nal segments. Filaments awl-shaped, spreading and curved 

 above, nearly as long as the corolla. Germen egg-shaped, with 

 a gland beneath. Style thread -shaped, inclining upwards, as 

 long as the corolla ; stigma knobbed. Berry globular, with 

 two lateral furrows, two-celled. Seeds numerous, kidney- 

 shaped, attached in each cell to a fleshy receptacle, fixed to the 

 partition. Named after Atropos, one of the Fates. 114. 



1. A. Belladonna. Deadly Night-shade. Stem herbaceous ; leaves 



egg-shaped, undivided. Stem three feet high, round, branched, 



slightly downy : flowers solitary, stalked, dull-purple. The whole 

 plant is fetid and poisonous. Children are apt to eat the shining 

 black berries, which have a sweetish taste, but in the smallest 

 quantity produce fatal effects. Perennial : flowers in June : grows 

 in hedges and waste ground : not common. Eng. Bot. vol. ix. pi. 

 592. Eng. Fl vol. i. p. 317. 359. 



30. SOLA'NUM. NIGHT-SHADE. 



Calyx inferior, of one leaf, divided into five acute, permanent 

 segments. Corolla of one petal, wheel-shaped ; tube very 

 short 5 limb much longer, reflected, plaited, divided into five 

 acute segments. Filaments awl-shaped, short ; anthers much 

 longer than the filaments, oblong, angular, close together, with 

 two terminal pores. Germen roundish. Styles tliread-shaped, 

 longer than the stamens, deciduous ; stigma obtuse. Berry 

 roundish, glossy, with a terminal scar, two-celled. Seeds nu- 

 merous, roundish, compressed, attached to a fleshy receptacle, 

 connected with the partition. Name doubtful. 1 15. 



1. S. Dulcamara,. Bitter-sweet. Woody Night-shade. Stem 

 shrubby, undulated, thornless ; upper leaves halbert-shaped ; 

 clusters cymose. Stem branched, twining : lower leaves heart- 

 shaped or egg-shaped : corolla purple, with two round green spots 

 at the base of each segment: berries oval, scarlet. The root and 

 leaves have been applied to various medicinal uses. The berries 

 are poisonous. A shrub : flowers in June and July : grows in 

 thickets and hedges : frequent. Eng. Bot. vol. viii. pi. 365. Eng. 

 Fl. vol. i. p. 318. 360. 



2. S. nigrum. Common Night-shade. Stem herbaceous, thorn- 

 less ; leaves egg-shaped, toothed, angular ; umbels lateral, droop- 

 ing. Stem branched, angular : flowers white : berries globular, 



black. The whole plant is fetid and narcotic, and has been em- 

 ployed medicinally. The potatoe belongs to this family, the spe- 

 cies of which are generally extremely poisonous. Annual : flowers 

 from June to September : grows in waste places near houses : 

 common in England ; rare in Scotland. Eng. Bot. vol. viii. pi. 

 566. Eng. Fl vol. i. p. 319. 361. 



