SOLANACEiE 



571 



using the tubers of a plant as their principal food. There is 

 no evidence that he or his party introduced them into 

 Europe." 



Wild plants have been found on the Peruvian coast, on 

 the mountains of Chile, Central America, Mexico, and 

 southwestern United States. However, without a doubt 



Fig. 235.- 



-The wild potato of southwest United States (Solarium jamesii). 

 {After Fitch, Colo Agr. Exp. Sta.) 



those which were introduced into Europe were from culti- 

 vated plants and not from wild tuberous American species. 

 There is Httle doubt that South America, in the neighborhood 

 of Quito, is the place from which the potato was first intro- 

 duced into Spain early in the Sixteenth century. 



After a careful study of all possible available types and 

 species of Solanum, and a perusal of the available literature 

 and records, F. Berthault has come to the conclusion that 

 S. tuberosum is characterized and differentiated from all 

 other wild tuberous Solanums by its floral characters, notably 

 its rotate corolla, and its calyx which is always mucronate 

 (sharp-pointed). All agricultural varieties of the cultivated 



