ments ovate, acute, of different lengths. Corotta pale purple or 
whitish, limb spreading, lobed, lobes irregularly notched, scarcely 
pointed. Sramens 5, filaments short, anthers long, cylindrical, yel- 
low, 2-celled, dehiscing by a small orifice at the apex of each cell. 
Sry e longer than the anthers, slender, stigma capitate. Berry suc- 
culent, yellow, about the size of a nut. 
Popurar anpD Geoeraricat Notice. This species of Solanum 
is a native of Peru, growing in precipitous places, near the fortress 
of Huassanace. Of this vast genus, comprising above 300 species, 
some are natives of the temperate parts of the earth, but the greater 
number exist between the tropics of both hemispheres. In the colder 
parts of the world they are herhaceous, but in the warmer, shrubby 
plants ; about one half the species are prickly. An apparent anomaly 
pervades the genus, inasmuch as while some species are wholesome, 
such as the common potatoe, (Solanum tuberosum), others are re- 
markably poisonous, such as the garden night-shade, (Solanum nig- 
rum), and others.. The poisonous property which some possess, 
seems to depend upon an alkaloid, termed Solania, which exists in 
the state of a malate or solanate, but which is not present in all parts 
of the plants, nor in every species in the same degree of concentration 
or of intensity, The fruit is frequently the part in which it resides, 
and in those species where it abounds in this locality, a pulpy matter 
is stated to surround the seeds, whilst the wholesome kinds are des- 
titute of this pulp. If it exist in the common potatoe, it is by no 
means in a very concentrated state; and being diffused through the large 
quantity of starchy matter of the tuber, is quite harmless, at least after 
the application of heat in cooking, amode by which many other acrid, 
but volatile, poisons are dissipated. The stalks of the potatoe, seem to 
possess it in a higher degree of concentration, for a tincture prepared 
from these, displays more narcotic power than tincture of hyoseya- 
mus in an equal dose. 
DeERIvaTIon or THE Names. 
Soranum, from Solaire, to assuage, in reference to the sedative and soothing 
properties of certain of the species, employed in medicine: tanatum, from lana, 
woolly, alluding to the woolly aspect of thé plant. 
SYNONYMEs. 
Sotanum ASPERO-LANATUM, Flora Peruviana, II, p. 39, t. 174, Fig. b. 
Soranum aspervm, Persoon Enchiridion, I, p. 229, not Vahl. 
SoLancuM LaNnatum, Dunal, Histoire des Solanum, p. 205, Sprengel Species 
lantarum, I, p. 692, 
