380 



CLVII. SOLANEJ3. 



Lycium, 

 Flower. 



Lycium. 

 Flower cut vertically. 



Lycium. 

 Diagram. 



Lycium. Lycium. 



2-labiate calyx (mag.). Berry. 



[To these tribes should be added : 

 TRIBE V. NOLANE*:. See order NOLAXE.S, p. 574. 



TRIBE VI. GRABOWSKIE.E. Carpels *2, 2-3-cellecl, united into a 2-partite or a 4-celled 

 ovary ; ovules solitary in each cell. Grabowskia. 



TRIBE VII. TRIGUIEREM. Ovary 2-4-celled; ovules few in each cell. Fruit sub-glabrous, 

 membranous, 2-4-celled, indehiscent ; placentas central, connate. Ernbiyo spiral. (Spain.) 

 Trigwiera. 



TKIBE VIII. CESTRINEJ:. See order CESTRINE.E, p. 582. 



TRIBE IX. RETZIEJG. Ovary 2-celled ; fruit 2-celled, 2-valved. Seeds few ; placentas 

 on the middle of the septum. Lcnchontema, Itetzia. 



TRIBE X. METTERNICHIE*. Ovary 2-cclled. Fruit a coriaceous 2-cclled capsule, septi- 

 fragal at the top, few-seeded. Seeds ascending, narrow, linear. (Tropical America.) 

 MeMernichia, Scssca. ED.] 



We have pointed out the affinities of Solanete with Convoloidacea (which see). They are near Pole- 

 n.oniaci'ce in insertion, isostemony and imbrication of their corolla, cnpsular fruit and albuminous embryo ; 

 but Polemoniaccce have a 3-celled ovary, axile placentation and straight embryo. The affinity is much 

 closer between Solanctc and Scrophularinea ; in both the ovary has two many-ovuled antero-posterior cells, 

 the fruit is capsular or fleshy, the embryo is albuminous, and in some Scrophularinete it is bent as in 

 Solanca. The diagnosis rests on the irregularity, the aestivation and the anisostemony of the corolla in 

 Scrophtdarinea ; and even this last difference disappears in some genera where there is a rudimentary 

 fifth stamen. Solanetc are mostly intertropical ; they become rare in temperate regions, two species only 

 (Solatium niffrtnn and S. Dulcamara) attaining high latitudes. 



The medicinal properties of this family reside in narcotic alkaline substances combined with an acrid 

 principle. The principal medicinal Solaneee are Belladonna, Stramonium and Henbane ; of these the roots 

 and especially the leaves of Atropa Belladonna contain the alkaloid atropine, a most efficacious remedy 

 for neuralgia and rheumatism. Belladonna further has a specific action on the muscular fibre, and is 

 hence employed to dilate the pupil in diseases of the eyes, and to facilitate respiration in asthma and 

 whooping-cough. The Mandragora, a genus allied to Belladonna, and possessing the same properties, was 

 formerly used by sorcerers to produce hallucination in their dupes. The Henbane (Hyoscyamus niger) 

 owes its narcotic virtues, which are, however, less energetic than those of Belladonna, to the alkaloid 

 7ii/oscyamine. Stramonium seeds (Datura Stramotiium) [and those of D. Tntula and Metel] contain the 

 alkaloid datwine ; these are highly narcotic, and were formerly employed by magicians to produce fan- 

 tastic visions, and by thieves to stupefy their victims. 



The American genus Nicotiana contains several species used for Tobacco ; the chief of these, 



