2 
There is a form very abundant about Brisbane of a pro- 
cumbent habit, known to botanists as S. nigrum, var. humile. The 
foliage of this will be found clothed with glandular hairs ; the 
leaves are also more prominently angularly toothed ; the flowers 
are frequently found striped with purple ; the calyx also will be 
found appressed to the fruit, which latter is of a greenish yellow 
when ripe. It is pretty generally allowed that the fruit of this 
form is unwholesome, yet the herbage of this and other forms 
of 8. nigrum in the islands of Mauritius and Bourbon is highly 
prized as a culinary vegetable, similar to the spinach of Europe. 
I remember in the year 1852, during the rush of people to the 
Victorian goldfields, that persons coming from the Mauritius 
often brought seed of this plant to grow for vegetables about 
their camp. 
Solanum auriculatum, Ait. This large auricled leaved 
species forms a small tree, and from its rapid growth has often 
been planted in Australian gardens where a quick shade has 
been required. The tree produces an enormous quantity of 
fruit, the poisonous or non-poisonous properties of which have 
not been ascertained. The species is found in the islands of 
Madagascar, Mauritius, and Bourbon ; the whole plant is 
densely clothed with a yellowish white, stellate down. Leaves 
ovate, lanceolate, 1 foot or more long, and 3 to 5 inches broad ; 
petioles, 2 or 3 inches long, with a pair of semicircular stipule-like 
leaves at the base. Flowers, purplish, borne in large pedun- 
culate, dichotomous cymes. Berries, yellowish, globose, i to f 
inch diameter. 
iSolanum pseudo capsicum, Linn. The capsicum-like Sola- 
num, which is frequently cultivated in gardens on account of the 
beauty of its cherry-like fruit, has also escaped and become 
naturalized in many places in Queensland. This species forms 
an erect branching shrub of 3 or 4 feet, has lanceolate, somewhat 
wavy, glabrous leaves, 2 or 3 inches long, tapering towards the 
base. Pedicels lateral, two or three together, or on a very short 
peduncle. Flowers, white, star-like. Berries, globose, reddish, 
from J inch to 1 inch diameter. This pretty species is supposed 
to belong to Madeira. In European gardens it is known as 
Winter-cherry. 
The above four kinds are unarmed, but besides these there 
are several kinds become naturalized, which are more or less fur- 
nished with prickles, viz. : — 
Solanum pyracanthum, Lam. y or the Fire-spined Night- 
shade. This is a very handsome species. In a wild state, of 
rather straggling habit ; but in the garden can be kept close, 
and then forms an attractive object, from the profusion 
of its flowers and bright colour of the prickles. When 
growing freely it forms a shrub several feet in height, having all 
parts prickly. Leaves, oblong, pinnatifid with narrowlobes, midrib 
reddish like the prickles. Flowers, violet, rather large, having a 
