214 KEY AND FLORA 



in. long, flat, ovate or obovate-lanceolate, obtuse. Flowers crowded 

 in spikes at the end of the branches. Corolla rose-purple, ^-^ in. 

 long. Naturalized from Europe. 



2. T. vulgaris L. Garden Thyme. More erect than No. 1. 

 Leaves somewhat cm-led under at the edges. Flower clusters shorter 

 and not all terminal. Corolla pale purple. Cultivated from Europe 

 as an herb. 



89. SOLANACE.S;. Nightshade Family 



Mostly tropical herbs or shrubs (rarely trees). Leaves usu- 

 ally alternate, without stipules. Flowers actinomorphic, borne 

 on bractless pedicels at or above the leaf axils, or in cymes. 

 Calyx hypogynous, 5-cleft, usually persistent. Corolla hypogy- 

 nous, wheel-shaped, bell-shaped, or salver-shaped, 5-lobed. Sta- 

 mens 5, short, inserted on the corolla tube. Ovary 2-celled or 

 imperfectly 4-celled ; style simple ; stigma simple or lobed. 

 Fruit a many-seeded capsule or berry. 



I. SOLANUM L. 



Herbs or shrubs ; stems often prickly, sometimes climbing. 

 Leaves alternate, often nearly or quite opposite. Flowers clus- 

 tered, the peduncles often opposite or above the axils. Calyx 

 spreading, 6-toothed or 6-cleft, persistent. Corolla wheel-shaped, 

 6-lobed. Stamens 5, projecting, the filaments very short, the 

 anthers long and meeting about the style. Ovary 2-celled ; 

 style slender. Fruit a many-seeded, juicy berry.* 



1. S. Dulcamara L. Bittersweet. Perennial; stems rather 

 shrubby, long, and climbing. Leaves heart-shaped, or some of them 

 with irregular lobes, or ear -like leaflets at the base. Flowers blue or 

 purple, somewhat cymose. Berries showy, of many shades of orange 

 and red in the same cluster, according to their inaturity. Naturalized 

 from Europe. 



2. S. nigrum L. Nightshade. Annual; stem smooth, or downy 

 with simple hairs, erect, diffusely branched; branches wing-angled, 

 1-3 ft. high. Leaves ovate, irregularly toothed or entire, somewhat 

 inequilatin-al, petioled. Flowers in lateral, peduncled umbels, small, 

 white, drooping. Calyx lobes obtuse ; corolla J-J in. wide ; filaments 

 downy ; berries globose, smooth, black when ripe. Common in culti- 

 vated fields and waste places.* 



