SOLANACEAE — BLACK NIGHTSHADE 



719 



Johnson in his Medical Botanj' of North America refers to the use of the 

 plant as follows : 



Bittersweet, in full doses, produces a certain rmount of cerebral disturbance of a narcotic 

 character, together with dryness of the throat, and biraetimes an erythematous eruption of the 

 skin, with a tendency to diaphoresis. It has been employed with benefit in a variety of cutan- 

 eous eruptions, in muscular rheumatism, and in chronic bronchia! and pulmonary affections. 



^ 



ri^. 419. Bittersweet (Solanum Dulcama- 

 ra), a, flowering spray; b, fruit — both one- 

 third natural size. Berries somewhat poison- 

 ous. (U. S. Dept. Agr.). 



Lehmann states that it is a narcotic poison when given in large doses, even 

 causing death in rabbits. 



It will be seen from the above quotations that the plant is not a violent 

 poison and yet ill effects are probably produced by it under some conditions. 

 Solanum nigrum L. Common Nightshade or Stubbleberry. 



Annual, low branched and often spreading; stem glabrous or hairy, hairs 

 simple, roughened on the angles ; leaves ovate, petioled, flowers white in small, 

 umbel-like drooping lateral clusters: calyx spreading, the lobes obtuse, much 

 shorter than the white corolla ; berries glabrous, globose, black ; occasionally large. 



Distribution. Found in northern United States. Also occurs in Europe. 

 Shady grounds and fields. A cosmopolitan weed. 



Poisonous properties. Stubbleberries are occasionally cultivated for their 

 fruit. They are sometimes sold as huckleberries and used for pies and pre- 



