CHAPTER III 



CLASSIFICATION AND BOTANICAL CHARAC- 

 TERISTICS 



The common or Irish potato is known botanically as 

 Solanum tuberosum. This name was first applied to it 

 by Bauhin in his "Phytopinax" in 1596 (page 15) and 

 later adopted by Linnaeus. In the same family (Solana- 

 ceae) are many other plants of economic importance, as 

 tomato, eggplant, tobacco, belladonna, henbane and cap- 

 sicum or red-pepper. 



Baker has reviewed the tuber-bearing species of Solanum 

 from a systematic point of view as well as that of geo- 

 graphic distribution. Out of twenty so-called species he 

 considers six to be really distinct, while the others are 

 synonymous or trifling variations. The six admitted 

 tuber-bearing species are S. tuberosum, S. Maglia, S. Com- 

 mersonii, S. Cardiophyllum, S. Jamesii and S. oxycar- 

 pum. See also " Standard Cyclo. Hort." VI, 3181. 



The following descriptions of species have been taken 

 from Baker's "A Review of Tuber-bearing Species of 

 Solanum" — Linnsean Soc. Journ. Bot., XX: pp. 489- 

 507, pis. 



Solanum tuberosum, Linn. — Stems stout, erect, much branched, 

 1-2 feet long, slightly hairy, distinctly winged on the angles. Leaves 

 1-2 feet long, slightly hairy, with 7-9 finely pilose oblong acute leaf- 

 lets, the side ones stalked and unequally cordate at the base, the 1-2 

 lowest pairs much dwarfed, petiole about 1 inch long. Numerous 

 small leaflets between larger ones. Flowers in compound terminal 

 cymes with long peduncles. CoroUa wheel shaped, dark lilac, 



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