bOLANACK/K. 509 



Royle's ill. 44 species have been discovered in the E. Indies ; viz. 3 1 of 

 Solanum ; 4 of Physalis ; 1 of Anisodus ; 4-5 of Datura ; 1 of Hyoscyamus ; 

 1 of Atropa ; and 1 of Lycium. Of these, Lycium europseum, Atropa acumi- 

 nata, Hyoscyamus niger, Solanum laxum, lysimachioides, crassipetalum, 

 rubrum, Physalis angulata, Datura ferox, and Anisodus luridus are from the 

 Himalayas ; the rest are all tropical. 



" At first sight this family would seem to offer a strong exception to the 

 general uniformity of structure and property, containing as it does the 

 Deadly Nightshade and Henbane, and the wholesome Potato and Tomato ; 

 but a httle inquiry will explain this apparent anomaly. The tubers of the 

 Potato are well known to be perfectly wholesome when cooked, any narco- 

 tic property which they possess being wholly dissipated by heat. This is 

 the case with other succulent underground stems in equally dangerous 

 families, as the Cassava among Euphorbiacese ; besides which, as DeCan- 

 dolle justly observes, — ' II ne faut pas perdre de vue que tons nos alimens 

 renferment une petite dose d'un principe excitant, qui, s'il y etait en plus 

 grande quantite, pourrait etre nuisible, mais qui y est necessaire pour leur 

 servir de condiment naturel.' The leaves of all are narcotic and exciting, 

 but in different degrees, from the Atropa Belladonna, which causes vertigo, 

 convulsions, and vomiting, the well known Tobacco, which will frequently 

 produce the first and last of these symptoms, the Henbane and Stramoni- 

 um, down to some of the Solanum tribe, the leaves of which are used as 

 kitchen herbs. It is in the fruit that the greatest diversity of character 

 exists : Atropa Belladonna, Solanum nigrum, and others, are highly dan- 

 gerous poisons ; Stramonium, Henbane, and Physalis are narcotic ; the fruit 

 of Physalis Alkekengi is diuretic ; that of Capsicum is pungent and even 

 acrid ; some species of Physalis are subacid, and so wholesome as to be 

 eaten with impunity, (f. ex. the well known Tepariya ;) and finally, the 

 Egg plant, (Solanum Melongena, Brinjal,) and all the Tomato tribe of 

 Solanum, yield fruits which are common articles of cookery. It is stated 

 that the poisonous species derive their properties from the presence of a 

 pulpy matter which surrounds the seeds ; and that the wholesome kinds 

 are destitute of this pulp, the pulp consisting only of what botanists call 

 the sarcocarp, that is to say, the centre of the rind, in a more or less suc- 

 culent state. It must also be remembered, that if the fruit of the Egg- 

 plant is eatable, it only becomes so after undergoing a peculiar process, by 

 which all its bitter acrid matter is removed, and that the Tomato is always 

 exposed to heat before it is eaten." {Lindl.) 

 Lycium, L. (G. Don's Mill. diet. 4, p. 457.) 



1. a/rum, L. (G. Don. o. c. p. 459 ,—B. Reg. 5, t. 354 ; — Lam. ill. t. 

 112, /. 1 ;— /. Grah. Cat. B. pi. p. 140 ?) B N. Africa. Spain. Fl. 

 violet, rich purple above. Has been introduced into H. C. G. Fl. } 



2. barbarum, L. ((?. Don. o. c. p. 458, excl. Shaw and syn. Lam. — L. 

 halimifolium, Mill, diet.) B N. Asia. Africa. S. Europe. Fl. purple, 

 with a yellow base. Has been introduced into H. C. G. Fl. ? 



