SOLANACE^. 



547 



Mertenda (Lithospermwm) maritima have the taste of oysters, and 

 hence it is called the Oyster-plant in Scotland. Myosotis palustris (fig. 

 274, p. 185) is the true Forget-me-not. Miss Strickland remarks 

 that the banished and aspiring Henry of Lancaster appears to have 

 been the person who gave to this plant its emblematical and poetical 

 meaning, by imiting it in his exile with the initial letter of his watck- 

 word, ' Souveigne-vous de-moy.' 



Order 127. — Solanace^, the Nightshade Family. (Monopet. 

 Hypog.) Calyx inferior, 5- rarely 4-partite, persistent (fig. 774 c). 

 Corolla monopetalous, hypogynous, with the limb 5- rarely 4-cleft, 

 regular, or somewhat unequal, deciduous ; aestivation plicate or im- 

 bricated (fig. 773). Stamens inserted on the corolla (fig. 774 e), 

 equal in number to the coroUine segments, and alternate with them 

 (fig. 773) ; anthers with longitudinal or porous dehiscence (fig. 774 e). 

 Ovary usually 2-celled (fig. 774 o), sometimes 4-5- or many-celled ; 

 ovules indefinite ; style continuous ; stigma simple (fig. 774 s). . Fruit 

 with 2, 4, or more cells, rarely unilocular ; either a capsule dehiscing 



Fig. 775. 



Fig. 777. 



Fig. 778. 



Fig. 774. 



Fig. 776. 



in a septicidal or circumcissile mannet, and having a double dissepi- 

 ment parallel to the valves, or a berry (figs. 775, 776) with the pla- 



Figs. 773-778. Organs of fructifloation of Solanum tuberosum, the Potato, to illustrate 

 the natural order Solanaceae. Fig. 773. Diagram of the flower, with Ave divisions of the 

 calyx : five plicate segments of the corolla, five stamens, and a 2-eelled ovary with poly- 

 spermous placentas, a, Axis. Fig. 774. Vertical section of the flower, c. Calyx, p p, 

 Lower part of the corolla, e. Stamens, with porous dehiscence of the anthers, o, Bilo- 

 cular ovary, polyspermous. s. Style and stigma. Fig. 776. Fruit baccate. Fig. 776. 

 Horizontal section of the fruit, showing the seeds and placenta. Fig. 777. The seed. 

 Fig. 778. Vertical section of the seed, t. Integument (spermoderm) of the seed, p. Fleshy 

 perisperm (albumen), e. Embryo, which is curved and excentric, with the radicle next 

 the hilum. 



