216 



SOLANACEyE. 



{Tpomrra Jalapa), possesses similnr proportios, litit of a mitcli less active 

 character. It has bc^on used to a hiiiitod extent only, for it is much lesa 

 eflicieut than jalap and many other common purgatives. 



SOLANACEiC. 



Character of the Order. — Herbs, rarely shrubs, with colorless juico and 

 alternate leaves. Flowei-s generally regular, 5-merous, on jiedicels without 

 bracts. Calyx commonly persistent. Corolla monopetalous, valvate or con- 

 volute in the bud, often plaited. Stamens inserted in the tube of the 

 corolla, e(iual in number to, and alternate with its lobes. Ovary free, 

 2-celled ; style and stigma single. Fruit a ben-y or pod. 



A lai'ge order of chiclly tropical plants. In general they contain 



narcotic principles ; a few of 

 them, as the potato, tomato, 

 and egg-plant, aiVord impor- 

 tant articles of food. Very 

 )i\& I >^^T^ fe^y of the strictly North 



American species deserve 

 mention ; those described be- 

 low, though mostly intro- 

 duced, are so widely diffused, 

 and most of them so impor- 

 tant, that they may well be 

 considered, for our purposes, 

 as indigenous. 



SOLANUM. —NiGHTsuAnE. 



Solanum Dulcamara 



Linni'. — Jiiller.^icect. 



Descripliun. — Calyx per- 

 sistent, 5-lobed, the lobes ob- 

 tuse, purple. Corolln. ro- 

 tate, 5-lobed, the lobes acute, 

 reflexed, piirph;, with two 

 green spots at the base ; the 

 tube very short. Stamens 5, short, black ; anthers yellow. Berry small, 

 ovoid or globular, red, several-seeded. 



A somewhat shrubby perennial. Stems flexuous, trailing or climbing, 

 often several feet in length. Leaves petiolate, ovate or ovate-lanceolate, 

 2 to 8 inches long, the lower entire, the upper often Avith a small lobe or 

 segment on each side, glabrous or downy. Flowers rather small, in loose 

 cymes on lateral peduncles shorter than the leu/es, appearing in midsum- 

 mer ; they have a heavy nai'cotic odor. 



FlO. M6.— Solnnum Dulcaniarti. 



