190 SOLANUM DULCAMARA 



the tube of the corolla; anthers large, bright yellow, cohering to form 

 a projecting conical tube round the style which protrudes beyond it, 

 each opening by 2 small terminal pores. Ovary 2-celled, with 

 nun?erpuj3; ovules attached to the axis ; style simple. Berries 

 droopiil'g, red, semi-transparent, about \ an inch long, ovoid, skin 

 .'tluiijf seeds numerous, immersed in red pulp, pale yellow, the 

 surface very minutely pitted with indentations with sinuous walls ; 

 embryo strongly curved, and surrounded by abundant endosperm. 

 Habitat. This beautiful plant is a well-known and abundant 

 ornament of our hedges, especially if bordered by a ditch, it being 

 one of those species which luxuriate in the close proximity of 

 water, though in no way an aquatic plant. It becomes more scarce 

 in Scotland, and runs out northwards in Aberdeen and Argyle. 

 About London it is a very common plant, and is one of the last to 

 linger in the outskirts of the town. Out of England it has a wide 

 distribution throughout Europe, except the extreme north, and 

 through Western Asia to North-West India and China; it also 

 occurs wild in Northern Africa and Asia Minor, and is naturalized 

 in many parts of North America. It is sometimes found with 

 white flowers. 



Dunal in DC. 1. c., p. 78 ; Syme, E. Bot., vi, p. 95 ; Hook, f., Stud. 

 FL, p. 256 ; Watson, Comp. Cyb. Br., p. 252 ; Gren. & Godr., Fl. 

 France, ii, p. 544 ; A. Gray, Man. Bot. U. S., p. 339. Lindl., 

 FL Med., p. 511. 



Official Part and Name. DULCAMARA. The dried young branches ; 

 from indigenous plants which have shed their leaves (B. P.) The 

 dried young branches (Dulcamara) ; collected after the plants have 

 shed their leaves (I. P.) DULCAMARA. The young branches 

 (U. S. P.) 



General Characters and Composition. For medicinal use the 

 young branches are cut into short lengths, and dried. These pieces 

 are light, usually about the thickness of a goose-quill, nearly 

 cylindrical in form, and of an ash-grey colour. When fresh they 

 have a peculiar and unpleasant odour, which they lose in a great 

 measure by drying. Their taste is at first slightly bitter, and 

 afterwards sweetish ; hence the origin of the common name bitter- 



