252 
THE LADIES' FLOWER-GARDEN. 
many other supposed remedies, it has however fallen into disuse ; and the Stramonium is now seldom grown, 
except in shrubberies, or other places where there is abundance of room, and where a plant with large shoviy 
leaves is wanted to produce an effect. 
2.— DATURA TATULA, Lin. THE TATULA, OR PURPLE THORN-APPLE. 
Specific Character.— Leaves cordate-ovate, angularly toothed, un- 
equal at the base, glabrous. Capsule furnished with nearly equal 
spines or prickles. — (G. Don.) 
SvNONYME. — Stramonium Tatula, M(ench. 
Engravings. — Swt. Brit. Flow. Card. t. 33 ; and our fig. 1, in 
Plate 46. 
Description, &c. — Tlie stem is erect, much branched, and from a foot to eighteen inches high, of a dark 
purple, but marked with a few lighter-coloured spots. The leaves are very handsome, with dark red veins and 
margin. The flowers are of a pale purple or lilac, with dark-brown calyxes; and the fruit is erect and very thorny. 
The plant is found in great abundance on the mountains of the Caraccas ; but it is also common over great part 
of North America. It was introduced before 1629, as it is mentioned by Parkinson. The seeds, which are 
common in the seed-shops, may be sovra in the open border in April or May ; or in March, if protected from 
frost by a hand-glass or flower-pot being put over them at night. They are sometimes raised on a slight hotbed, 
but they do better in the open ground, and they never flower well unless in the open air. They succeed best in 
a warm border of light rich earth, sheltered from the north ; and in such a situation they will continue in blossom 
the whole summer, and indeed till late in autumn, ripening abundance of seeds. 
a— DATURA FASTUOSA, Mill. THE MAGNIFICENT THORN-APPLE. 
Specific Character. — Leaves ovate, acuminated, repandly toothed, unequal at the base, and, as well as the stem, downy. Fruit 
tubercled. — (G. Don.) 
Description, &c. — A magnificent plant, growing four feet or five feet high, with very large flowers, a native 
of the East Indies, Egypt, and South America. There are several varieties ; one of which, a native of the East 
Indies, has double flowers, crimson on the outside and white within ; another, a native of Malabar, has semi- 
double flowers, of a dark-purple on the outside and white within. This species was introduced before the time 
of Parkinson, 1629 ; but it is now seldom seen in our gardens, though one of its varieties may be procured in 
the seed-shops, under the name of the double purple Stramonium. 
4.— DATURA METEL, Lin. THE METEL, OR HAIRY THORN-APPLE. 
EKoaAviMG. Bot. Mag. t. 1440. I toothed, and, as well as the stem, downy. Limb of the corolla 
Sprciric Characteb. — Leaves cordate, quite entire, or a little I 10-toothcd. Calyx terete. Capsule furnished with prickles. — {G. Don.) 
Description, &c.— One of the commonest and smallest of the Daturas, seldom growing more than a foot 
or eighteen inches high. The flowers are white, and, like those of most of the other species, they fold up at 
night, the leaves rising to enshroud them. The flowers are erect, but when they fall, the capsule becomes 
drooping ; it is very thorny, and part of the calyx which remains on, forms a curious kind of hood to it. This 
species is a native of the East Indies, Africa, and the Canary Isles. The seeds are common in the shops, and 
they require the same culture as the other species, with the exception that they will flower best when sown on a 
slight hotbed in February or March, and planted out in May. 
