NIGHTSHADE FAMILY 



to the deserted foundations of Jamestown, in 1609, Captain John 

 Smith reported the presence there of this weed, which doubtless 

 came in ballast, or at least surreptitiously. The plant is un- 

 questionably Asiatic and the books 

 refer its wide distribution to the 

 gypsies, as it has been a favorite 

 medicine of theirs for ages; at least, 

 that indicates one path by which it 

 might have reached its world-wide 

 dissemination. 



BROWALLIA 



BrowdlUa demissa. Browdllia elbta. 



Named in honor of Dr. John 

 Browall, a. friend of Linnseus. 



An annual South American plant, 

 one to two feet high, blooming abun- 

 Browaiiia. BrowilUa det^issa dantly in midsummer. 



Stem. — Erect, branching, bushy. 

 Leaves. — Alternate, usually ovate; margin entire, often variable. 

 Flowers. — In loose racemose clusters, terminal or axillary, blue with 

 white centre, somewhat irregular. 

 Calyx. — Tubular, five-toothed. 



Corolla. — Salver-shaped; tube an inch long, slightly swollen at the 

 throat; border of five, broad, notched lobes. 



Stamens. — Four, in pairs, included within the throat, and inserted on 

 the tube. 

 Ovary. — ^Two-celled; style slender; stigma a small, flattened head. 



Browallia is a plant of midsummer bloom ; its abundant flowers, 

 held up on terminal and axillary stems above the mass of foliage 

 beneath, give a blue shimmer over the bed through all the long, 

 hot days of August. 



The individual blossom is sHghtly irregular, looks as if it had 

 started to be two-lipped, but had thought better of it; the best 

 forms are of a brilliant violet-blue, with a dash of white at 

 centre. 



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