38 



SOLANUM CAMPANULATUM. 



about 294 determined species according to Rcemer and Schultes 1 Syst. Veget., 

 and 69 undetermined ones, or such as have not been sufficiently examined. Of 

 the above number of species, 144 appear to have been introduced into this country. 

 Its geographical range is pretty general, some being found in all parts of the 

 world, with the exception of the Arctic and Antarctic regions ; but their principal 

 situation is within the tropics. Two species only are natives of this country; 

 namely, Solanum Dulcaman, and S. nigrum. 



The medical and other properties of some of the species are exceedingly 

 important. The Quina of Brazil (which is a powerful febrifuge, and considered 

 so valuable a remedy amongst the Brazilians that they are induced to believe it to 

 be the genuine Jesuit's Bark) is obtained from the Solanum Pseudo-quina. 

 According to the distinguished French chemist M. Vauquelin (M. du Mus. xii. 204), 

 who has made a most elaborate analysis of the Bark, it owes its chief virtue to a 

 peculiar bitter principle, purely vegetable, and amounting to about 8 per cent. 

 But the most valuable species is undoubtedly the common potato, Solanum 

 tuberosum, Lin., which is too well known and esteemed in the present day, from 

 its extensive cultivation in this and in most other countries, to require from us 

 any observation. 



Our plant is among the collection of the Birm. Bot. and Hort. Soc. ; is 

 originally a native of New Holland, and was raised from seeds received from that 

 country in the year 1835. It flowered in the summer of 1836 in the green-house 

 of that establishment, and has ripened seeds. It appears also to be capable of 

 increase by cuttings. The soil should be loam, peat, and sand. This, and many 

 other soft-wooded, free-flowering, green-house plants, will be shown to most 

 advantage if planted out in the open ground in May or June, where they will 

 flower much more freely during the summer than when confined in pots. 



The generic name, Solanum, is derived from the Latin verb solor, to comfort, 

 in allusion to the soporific properties possessed by the genus ; its specific name, 

 campanulatum, from the Latin campanula, a little bell, as expressive of the shape 

 of its corolla. 



Fig. 1, fruit ; 2, section of fruit. 



