SoLANUM. 



SOLANACE.E. 



105 



3. Solanum Carolinianum, Linn. Horse-nettle. 



Herbaceous, prickly ; leaves ovate-oblong, acute, often somewhat hastate, sinuate-angular, 

 densely stellate-pubescent ; racemes simple, loose. — Linn. sp. I. p. 187 ; Michx.fi. 1. p. 150; 

 Dunal, Solan, p. 227 ; Pursh, fl. 1. p. 156 ; Ell. sk. 1. p. 282 ; Bart. jl. N. Am. t. 23 ; 

 Torr. jl. 1. p. 235 ; Beck, hot. p. 257 ; Darlingt. fl. Cest. p. 138. 



Perennial. Stem 12-18 inches high, firm and somewhat woody, armed with sharp 

 spreading prickles. Leaves 4-6 inches long, prickly along the midrib and larger veins on 

 both sides : petioles about an inch long. Racemes lateral, few-flowered, opposite the leaves, 

 and often exceeding them in length ; the pedicels about half an inch long. Calyx prickly ; 

 the segments acuminate. Corolla large, bluish white ; the lobes ovale -lanceolate, acute. 

 Berries globose, orange-yellow. 



Fields on Long Island, near Newtown (Mr. Cooley) ; Rye, Westchester county (Dr. Mead). 

 Fl. Latter part of June - July. In some places this plant is a pernicious weed, and is very 

 difficult to eradicate. 



t Atropa Belladonna has been found by Dr. Bradley in Parma, Monroe county ; but it had probably escaped from some 

 garden. 



Order LXXVIII. GENTIANACE^S. Juss. The Gentian Tribe. 



Calyx consisting usually of 4 or 5 (rarely 6 — 8) more or less united sepals. 

 Corolla mostly funnelform or salverform, twisted in estivation (or rarely 

 indnplicate) ; its lobes equal in number to the sepals. Stamens 4-5, inserted 

 in the tube of the corolla. Ovary one-celled, but sometimes imperfectly or 

 almost completely 2 -celled; the two parietal placentae being more or less 

 introflexed, with numerous ovules : styles united or wanting : stigmas 2-lobed. 

 Capsule many-seeded. Seeds small ; the embryo straight, in the axis of fleshy 

 albumen. — Herbs, usually bitter, with a watery juice, and almost always 

 (except in Menyantheje) opposite and entire leaves. Flowers showy. 



CONSPECTUS OF THE GENERA. 

 § ]. True Gestianace;E. ^Estivation of the corolla twisted. 



1. Gentiana. Corolla tubular or funnelform, 4 - 5-cleft, without fringed glandular pits inside; the orifice naked. 



Stigma 2-lobed. Capsule 1-celled, 2-valved. 



2. Frasera. Corolla mostly 4- (sometimes 5-) cleft, rotate; the segments with glandular fringed pits in the middle. 



Style short, with two stigmas. Capsule l-cellcd, 2-valved. 



3. Halenia. Corolla campanulate-rotate, 4-clcft ; the segments spurred and glanduliferous at the base. Stigmas 2. 



nearly sessile. Capsule 1-celled, 2-valved. 



[Flora — Vol 2.] 14 



