prickles along the principal veins on both sides. PepuNctes lateral, 
thick, about an inch long, bearing a short raceme almost reduced to 
an umbel of four to eight large lilac flowers; pedicels thick, about 
half an inch long. Catyx half an inch long, cupshaped, thickly 
clothed as well as the peduncles with the same hairs as the branches, 
intermixed with a few prickles, divided at the top into six or seven 
broad, short lobes, which are often slightly petaloid and coloured. 
Corowa two inches and a half in diameter, divided below the mid- 
dle into six or seven oval lobes, of a bluish lilac colour, with a pale, 
somewhat yellowish line at the base of each lobe, hairy outside. AN- 
THERS six or seven, all equal, large, thick and yellow. Styte pro- 
jecting beyond the anthers, with a green two-lobed stigma. 
PopuLar AND GeocrapuicaL Notice. Thisis one of the largest 
flowered of this extensive genus, and would be one of the most orna- 
mental were it not for the shortness of the flower-stalks, and the large 
size of the rough-looking leaves, which conceal the flowers in a great 
measure from view. It is said to be a native of the tropical part of 
Mexico, and has received in our gardens the name of Solanum stra- 
moniifolium, which is a very different species, perhaps the same as 
S.torvum. Our plant has some affinity with Solanum Hernandesii, 
and some other Mexican ones, but easily distinguished from all other _ 
prickly species known to us, by the calyx and corolla. The stipitate 
stellate hairs are also remarkably conspicuous in our Solanum vesti- 
tum, and by an attentive examination of those which cover the leaves 
a gradual passage may be observed from these hairs to the strong sim- 
ple prickles, there being many of intermediate thickness, bearing at 
the top one, two, or three stellate branches, instead of five or six as 
observable on the brown hairs of the stem. G. B. 
INTRODUCTION ; WHERE GROWN ; CuLTuRE. Raised in the Royal 
Gardens, at Kew, from seeds transmitted from Mexico by the late 
Dr. Schiede. It flourishes well in the stove, but on account of the 
room it takes and the large size of its foliage it can scarcely be re- 
commended, excepting for an extensive collection. Our drawing was 
made at Kew in December. 
pesrrian OF THE Nae 
um, from f the species. 
Vaatreen, aaa in ata to oe Shoo covering of big 
