30 



DATURA. Lin 



(^SolanacecB.) 

 V. — 1. PENTANDRIA MONOGYNIA. LIN. SYST. 



68. Datura Stramonium. Lin. Herbaceous. Stem 

 round, branchy. Leaves ovate, unequally sinuato- 

 dentate, smooth. Flowers large, white, funnel-shaped, 

 plaited, axillary, solitary ; ijeduncles short. Calyx 

 tubular, 5-toothed, deciduous. Stamens 5 ; style fili- 

 form. Capsule fleshy, ovate, erect, prickly, 4-celled 

 at base, 2-celled at the apex. Seeds numerous, kidney- 

 shaped. 



This common weed, originally a native of America, but 

 now naturalized in most parts of the civilized world, is 

 well known to Englishmen as the Thorm-apple, so named 

 on account of its spiny fruit. Having a foetid, nauseous 

 smell, it is called Stinkhlaren by the Cape colonists. 

 Every part of this plant is highly narcotic, and pharma- 

 ceutical preparations made from it require, in their adminis- 

 tration, the greatest care and circumspection. In ^ouih 

 Africa, the fresh warmed leaves of the plant, or the vapour 

 of an infusion, are successfully used as a sedative in violent 

 pains, caused by rheumatism (zinkens) or rheumatic gout. 

 In the shape of poultices also they are applied to carcino- 

 matous ulcers, and it is said that the smoking of the dried 

 leaves affords great relief in spasmodic athma. 



SOLANUM. Lin. 



(^SolanacecB.^ 

 V. — 1. PENTANDRIA MONOGYNIA. LIN. SYST. 



69. Solanum niveum. Thbg. Root perannual. Stem 

 fruticose, 6 feet high, erect, snow-white, tomentose, 

 thorny. Branches prickly. Leaves alternate, stalked, 

 ovate, attenuate at both ends, entire, nerved. Flowers 

 blue, in a lateral, decompound, panicle. Pedicels 

 dichotoraous, drooping. Fruit a red glabrous berry. 



The leaves of this Solanum are smooth on the upper, 

 and woolly on the lower surface. The application of the 

 latter to foul ulcers cleanses them, and a cure is afterwards 

 effected by applying the upper surface. Hence their Dutch 

 name of Geeneshldren. The fresh juice of the berries and 

 leaves, when formed into an ointment with lard or fat, 

 are also in use amongst the farmers for the same purpose. 



