SOLANUM 



NIGHTSHADE OBDEB 



SOLANUM 689 



Berries about the size of Peas, roundish, 

 red. 



Culture dc. as above. 



S. guineense. — A West African species 

 2-4 ft. high, with angular stems and ovate 

 leaves. The small violet flowers are 

 succeeded by dark shining blue-black 

 fruits. 



Culture do. as above. 



S. jasminoides. — A charming decidu- 

 ous S. American climber with twiggy 

 woody stems 3-4 ft. long. Leaves mostly 

 ovate lance-shaped tapering, abovit 2 in. 

 long. Flowers from August to October, 1 

 in. or more across, somewhat star-shaped, 

 white or faintly tinted with greyish-blue, 

 in drooping trusses. The variety flori- 

 hundum has smaller leaves, and flowers 

 more freely than the type. 



Culture and Propagation. — This 

 species is suitable for training against a 

 south or west wall in deep light soil. It 

 is often to be seen trailing on the roofs of 

 greenhouses, but may be considered hardy 

 out of doors from the Thames VaUey 

 southwards in ordinary mild winters. It 

 may be increased by cuttings of the non- 

 flowering shoots inserted in sandy soil 

 during the summer months under a hand- 

 light, and kept moist and shaded until 

 fairly well rooted. 



S. lasiostylum. — ^A woolly spiny species 

 1-2 ft. high, native of the West Australian 

 deserts and closely related to S. margi- 

 natvmi, but with purple flowers and white 

 woolly leaves. 



Culture Sc. as above. It is easily 

 raised from seeds sown in sandy loam. 

 The plants requfre light sandy soil and 

 must not be watered too freely. It is not 

 yet well known, but is worth growing. 



S. margfinatum (S. abyssinicum). — A 

 strong-growing bushy Abyssinian species 

 3-4 ft. high, covered with a whitish wool 

 and armed with stiff prickles. Leaves 

 somewhat heart-shaped, leathery, sinu- 

 ately and obtusely lobed, covered with 

 prickles on both sides, snowy-white 

 beneath, green above, with a white mar- 

 gin. Flowers white, about 1 in. across 

 or more, with a small purple centre and 

 a 5-6-cleft prickly or unarmed calyx. 

 Berries round, yellow when ripe, 1 in. or 

 more in diameter. 



Culture de. as above. The seeds of 

 this species are best sown in autumn, the 

 young plants being wintered in a green- 

 house until June. 



S. maroniense {8. macranthum). — A 

 handsome Brazilian species with prickly 

 stems which often grow 7 ft. high in this 

 country, but twice as much in a wild 

 state. Leaves solitary, nearly stalkless, 

 10-15 in. long, broadly ovate lance-shaped 

 with large coarse teeth or angles, and very 

 prickly on the nerves. Flowers 1^-2^ in 

 across, bluish-violet, 5-7 in a cymos 

 raceme. 



Culture dc. as above. 



S. pyracanthum. — A handsome 

 shrubby species 3-6 ft. high, native of 

 Madagascar. Leaves stalked, softly 

 downy, oblong tapering acute, 5-6 in. 

 long, unequal at the base, and pinnately 

 divided into ovate lance-shaped lobes. 

 Both stems and leaves are thickly covered 

 with long awl-shaped fiery red or scarlet 

 prickles. Flowers 1 in. across, violet-blue, 

 in many-flowered cymose racemes. 



Culture dc. as above. This ornamental 

 species is rendered particularly attractive 

 by the brilliant colouring of its prickles. 

 It thrives in a light rich soil, and should 

 be grown in beds or groups by itself for 

 effectiveness. 



S. quercifolium. — A large-growing 

 ornamental species with deeply-cut Oak- 

 like leaves, and large violet-blue flowers. 



Culture dc. as above. 



S. quitoense. — A beautiful and some- 

 what shrubby Peruvian plant 2-3 ft. high, 

 covered with soft hairs. Leaves softly 

 woolly, on hairy stalks 2-3 in. long, heart- 

 shaped in outline, but having 11-14 broad 

 triangular lobes ; the young leaves being 

 green above, and velvety amaranth 

 beneath. Flowers an inch or more 

 across, white within, violet and woolly 

 outside, 4-5 in a raceme. Fruits about 

 the size of a small Orange, woolly at first, 

 afterwards smooth and shining, fragrant 

 and edible. 



Culture a/nd Propagation. — So far 

 this species has not ripened fruits in this 

 country either in the open air or in green- 

 houses. It is not yet well-known but is 

 worthy of cultivation on account of its 

 ornamental appearance. Grown in green- 

 houses as a crop it would probably pro- 

 duce bunches of valuable fruits in the 

 same way as the Tomato. It may be 

 increased by cuttings in summer placed 

 in sandy soil in a little heat under a bell- 

 glass, the plants being wintered in a 

 greenhouse until May or Jime. 



