NIGHTSHADE FAMILY. 313 



1. LYCOPEHSICUM, TOMATO, LOVE APPLE. (Greek: wolf 

 peach.) 



L. escu/Sntum, Mill. Tomato. Cult, from trop. Amer.; includes mani- 

 fold varieties and forms ; hairy, rank-scented ; leaves interruptedly pin- 

 nate, larger leaflets cut or pinnatifid, ovate or ovate-oblong and pointed ; 

 flower clusters short and forked ; flowers yellowish, by cultivation having 

 their parts often increased in number, the esculent red or yellow berry 

 becoming several-celled. The little improved types, like the Cherry 

 Tomato (var. cerasw6rme) have 2-celled fruits, a weaker habit and 

 smaller leaves than the larger-fruited sorts. ® 



L. pimpinellifblium, Dunal. Currant T. Weaker and nearly smooth, 

 the leaflets small and thin and nearly or quite obtuse ; fruit the size of 

 large currants, in long 2-sided racemes. Sparingly cult., mostly as a 

 curiosity. Peru. Q) 



2. SOLANUM, NIGHTSHADE, etc. (Derivation uncertain.) Flowers 

 mostly in corymb- or raceme-like clusters, in summer. 



« Plants not at all prickly ; anthers blunt. 



1- Climbing or twining perennials. 



S. Dulcamara, Linn. Bittersweet. Nat. from Eu., in moist cult, 

 and waste grounds ; smoothish, with tall stems woody at base and dis- 

 posed to climb, ovate and heart-shaped leaves, some of the upper ones 

 halberd-3-lobed, or with one or two pairs of smaller leaflets or lobes at 

 base ; corolla violet-purple with a pair of greenish spots on the base of 

 each lobe, and oval red berries. % (Lessons, Fig. 252.) 



S. jasminoldes, Paxt. Woody-stemmed house plant from Brazil, tall- 

 climbing by its petioles, very smooth, with oblong ovate or slightly 

 heart-shaped, entire leaves, or some of them divided into 3 leaflets, and 

 clusters of white or bluish flowers. % (Lessons, Fig. 172.) 



■»- -i- Erect shrubs, of house culture. 



S. PseOdo-Cdpsicum, Linn. Jerusalem Cherrt. Shrubby house 

 plant from Madeira, cult, for the ornamental bright red berries, resem- 

 bling cherries ; smooth, with lance-oblong entire leaves and small white 

 flowers in solitary peduncles or small lateral clusters. 



S. Capsicdstrum, Link. Fruit scarlet, the size of a filbert ; flowers 

 white, in short racemes nearly opposite the leaves, the latter twin, one 

 much smaller than the other, entire or repand, oblong-lanceolate or lance- 

 obovate. There is a form with variegated leaves. Brazil. 



h- t- +- Erect herbs, annuals or cult, as annuals. 



S. nigrum, Linn. Black or Common Nightshade. Low weed of 

 shady grounds ; much branched, nearly smooth, with ovate wavy-toothed 

 or sinuate leaves, very small white flowers, and globular black berries, 

 said to be poisonous. (J) 



S. tuberosum, Linn. Potato. Cult, from Chile for the esculent 

 tubers, and native as far N. as S. Col. ; leaves pinnate, of several ovate 

 leaflets and some minute ones intermixed ; flowers blue or white ; berries 

 round, green. % (Lessons, Figs. 102, 253.) 



S. muricatum, Ait. Pepino, Melon Shrub, etc. Branching and 

 bushy ; stems and oblong-lanceolate entire leaves lightly hairy ; flowers 

 sky-blue, in terminal fascicles ; fruit egg-shaped, 3'-4' long and pointed, 

 at maturity yellow overlaid with streaks of violet-purple, the flesh edible, 

 with the flavor of a muskmelon. Subshrub in trop. Amer., where it is 

 native, but treated as an herb in cultivation. 



