6i8 



BOTANY AND PHARMACOGNOSY. 



naturalized in waste places (p. 372). The leaves are collected 

 shortly after flowering from biennial plants of the second year's 

 growth, and carefully dried and preserved. The commercial 

 article comes chiefly from Germany. 



Fig. 267. Hyoscyamus niger. Flowering and fruiting branches showing the alter- 

 nate, irregularly lobed, mostly sessile leaves, and the i-sided spike of fruits. 



Description. — Usually in irregular, matted fragments. Stem 

 hollow, cylindrical, flattened, longitudinally furrowed and wrin- 

 kled, 3 to 4 mm. in diameter ; internodes i to 3.5 cm. long. Leaves 

 ovate or ovate-lanceolate, 5 to 10 cm. long, 2 to 7 cm. broad, apex 

 acuminate; base amplexicaul; margin acutely four-lobed; upper 



