724 MANUAL OF POISONOUS PLANTS 



Injurious properties. This plant is carefully avoided by stock, but so far as 

 known is not poisonous although the prickles on the plant produce mechanical 

 injuries. When the prickles enter the tissues of animals inflammation occurs 

 and pus is formed. 



Solanum carolinense L. Horse Nettle 



Horse nettle is a deep rooting perennial, propagating freely by its under- 

 ground roots; these running roots are often 3 feet long; stem from 1-2 feet 

 high, somewhat straggling, half shrubby at the base; stems hairy or merely 

 roughish with minute hairs which are usually numerous; leaves oblong or 

 sometimes ovate, obtusely sinuate, toothed or lobed or deeply cut, 2-4 inches 

 long; flowers borne in racemes which later become 1-sided; the outer part of 

 the flower, the calyx, consists of slender lobes; the corolla is light blue tor 

 white, an inch or less in diameter and resembles that of the common potato; 

 the flowers are followed by yellow globose berries, 1/2-3/4 inch in diameter; the 

 small seeds are yellowish, a little less than 1/12 of an inch long, minutely 

 roughened. 



Distribution. Its distribution in North America is from Connecticut through 

 New York, Pennsylvania and New Jersey, West Virginia along the Atlantic 

 seacoast to Florida, west along the Gulf Coast to Texas, through Kansas, 

 Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois and Michigan. 



Poisonous properties. The root as well as the fruit of the plant has a very 

 disagreeable narcotic odor; according to several authors, the plant is poisonous. 

 Dr. Bessey reports it as possibly poisonous. It contains solanin, according to 

 Kraemer, 0.8 per cent in the berries. 



Solanum elaeagnifolium Cav. Horse-weed. Bull Nettle 

 A deep-rooted spreading perennial from 1-3 feet high; stem silvery canes- 

 cent, finely pubescent; leaves lanceolate, oblong or linear, petioled entire or 

 repand-dentate ; flowers in cymose clusters; peduncle stout and short; corolla 

 gamopetalous, blue; calyx lobes lanceolate; berry yellow, smooth globose. 



Distribution. Common on the prairies of Kansas to Texas and New Mexico. 



Poisonous properties. The berries of this fruit are used to curdle milk in 



northern Mexico and southern Texas. They are crushed into a powder, put into 



a muslin bag, suspended in the milk until coagulation occurs. It is also used 



as a medicine by the Mexicans. 



Solanum tuberosum L,. Potato 



An erect herb, cultivated as an annual for the esculent tubers; leaves pin- 

 nate of several ovate leaflets and smaller ones between; flowers blue or white, 

 berries round, green. 



Distribution. Native to Chile north to Mexico and Arizona. Introduced 

 into Europe between 1580 and 1585. 



Poisonous properties. The wilted green stem and leaves are poisonous, 

 containing the alkaloid solanin. The water from boiled potatoes contains a 

 poisonous substance. Some persons cannot eat potatoes because poisonous to 

 them. According to Kassner, healthy potatoes do not contain solanin but dis- 

 eased potatoes contain this substance; from 150 gms. he separated 30-50 mgrs. 

 of solanin. It is probable that this substance occurs in other species of Sol- 

 anum. Thos. Maiden states that the S. eremophilum poisons sheep and cattle 

 when they eat the tops. Friedberger and Frohner state that potato tops are in- 

 jurious; that the diseased animals show symptoms resembling foot and mouth 

 disease. 



