m) SOLANACEiE. 



green stem, which at a short distance from the ground, throws out 

 spreading forked branches, in the axil of each fork of which arises a 

 solitary white flower, succeeded by an erect, spiny, ovoid capsule. At 

 each furcation and directed outwards is a large leaf. This arrangement 

 of parts is repeated, and as the plant grows vigorously, it often becomes 

 much branched and acquires in the course of the summer a considerable 

 size. 



The leaves of stramonium have long petioles, are unequal at the 

 base, oval, acuminate, sinuate-dentate with large irregular pointed teeth 

 or lobes, downy when young, glabrous at maturity. When fresh they 

 are somewhat firm and juicy, emitting when handled a disagreeable 

 foetid smell. The larger leaves of plants of moderate growth attain a 

 length of 6 to 8 or more inches. 



For medicinal purposes, the entire plants are pulled up, the leaves 

 and younger shoots are stripped ofif, quickly dried, and then broken and 

 cut into short lengths, so as to be conveniently smoked in a pipe, that 

 being the method in which the drug is chiefly consumed in England. 

 The offensive smell of the fresh plant is lost by drying, being replaced 

 by a rather agreeable tea-like odour. The dried herb has a bitterish 

 saline taste. 



Chemical Composition — The leaves of stramonium contain, in com- 

 mon with the seeds, the alkaloid Baturine (see p. 461), but in extremely 

 small proportion, not exceeding in fact V'o to Vo per mille. They are 

 rich in saline and earthy constituents; selected leaves dried at 100" C. 

 yielded us 17"4 per cent, of ash. 



Uses — Scarcely employed in any other way than in smoking like 

 tobacco for the relief of asthma. — Col. Grant (1871) found the herb 

 to be smoked in pipes by the Nubians for chest-complaint. 



Substitute — Datura Tatula L. — This plant is closely allied to B. 

 Stramonium L., propagating itself on rich cultivated ground with nearly 

 the same facility; but it is not so generally diffused. 



De Candolle is of opinion that it is indigenous to the warmer parts 

 of America, Avhence it was imported into Europe in the 1 6th century, 

 and naturalized first in Italy, and then in South-Western Europe. 

 By many botanists it has been united to B. Stramonium, but Naudin,' 

 who has studied both plants with the greatest attention, especially with 

 reference to their hybrids, is decidedly in favour of considering them 

 distinct. B. Tatula diflfers from B. Stramonium in having stem, 

 petiole, and nerves of leaves 'p'^i/rpU)<li instead of green; and corolla and 

 anthers of a violet colour instead of tuhite, — characters which, it must be 

 admitted, are of very small botanical value. 



B. Tatula has been recommended for smoking in cases of asthma, 

 on the ground of its being stronger than B. Stramonium ; but we are 

 not aware of any authority as to the comparative strength of the two 

 species. 



^ Comptea Rendtis, Iv. (1862) 321. 



