THE DEADLY NIGHTSHADE. 67 



peculiar mode of growth renders the long lines of shining 

 berries that fringe them very conspicuous to any one stand- 

 ing near enough to look down upon the plant. Parkinson 

 says that the plant grows sometimes to the height of a 

 man. This is a very indefinite measurement certainly, but 

 we never ourselves saw the plant over four feet in height. 

 The stems are round in section, branch at intervals, are 

 often somewhat downy, and in open situations will be 

 found to be of a dull purple tint. The leaves of the deadly 

 nightshade are on short stalks, are of a pointed egg-shape, 

 and have no notching or toothing of their margins. The 

 lower leaves of the plant are considerably larger than the 

 upper, and in all of them the veining is prominently 

 marked. The stem leaves grow in pairs, but exhibit one 

 marked peculiarity that would in itself serve to identify 

 the plant, as these pairs always consist of one large and 

 one much smaller leaf. Though the leaves are in pairs the 

 flower-stalks that rise from their axils are always single, 

 and each stalk only supports one blossom. This feature 

 may be very well seen in our illustration. Sometimes a 

 flower-stalk is given off at the forking of the stems. 

 The flower-bearing stalks are always short, generally curved, 

 rather thick-looking, and viscid to the touch. The flowers 

 are bell-shaped, often rather drooping in direction, without 

 odour, of a dingy or lurid reddish purple colour, somewhat 

 viscid, externally glossy in surface, and marked with 

 rather prominent veinings. The mouth of the bell is 

 spreading, and cut into five equal segments. The calyx is 

 slightly angular, and deeply divided into five segments; 

 these are slightly unequal in size, and, like the stems, have 

 a sticky feeling when touched. The stamens, from their 

 length and the light colour of the anthers, are easily seen 



