obtuse stigmata. This ovary has two cells, and for each cell a large placenta, lobed, with one atropal ovule inserted upon the partition which separates them. The fruit is a berry or apple, containing a number of compressed seeds, supplied with a fleshy albumen and an embryo bent round upon itself.

Fig. 427.— Potato plant and tubers.

The Solane are plants with simple alternate leaves without stipules, the stems of which are herbaceous, ligneous, oF sub-ligneous, and the inflorescence is indefinite. he Tuberous Morell (which has also been called Solanum tubers osum), of which we have been writing, is better known as the Potato (Fig. 427). This useful vegetable came originally from

the Cordilleras of Peru and Chili. We have already said that its tubers are not the roots, but the real subterranean branches of the. plant: p (Fig. 428) being the parent tuber, from the evolution of ' an eye of which the axis or under-ground stem a has issued; a is a branch given off at a node of the primary axis a, at which also the root-fibres r are developed; 1, a young tuber, is the

Fig. 428, Roots and Tubers of the Potato. thickened extremity of the branch. As examples of the genus Solanum, we may also cite the Black Nightshade (S. nigrum), and the Woody Nightshade (8. dulcamara). The Nightshade (Solanum nigram) is a herbaceous shrubby plant, which grows abundantly under hedges, in woods, by river sides, on the walls of cottages, and in cultivated places. It has white flowers, producing a black berry, while S. Dalmacara has purple flowers and purple berries. An active crystallizable principle, Vomitive at first, afterwards narcotic, pervades both fruits. The Egg Plant (Solanum esculentum), known as the Mad and Jews’ Apple, is a herb originally from tropical Asia, which culture has spread along the shores of the Mediterranean and Southern. regions of Europe. It is now naturalised in America. Its large, shiny, ovoid, generally violet, but sometimes yellow-coloured fruit contains a white flesh, which becomes comestible by cooking. The Apple of Sodom (S. Sodomeum), a native of South Europe and North Africa, contains a greenish pulp which produces headache, mad~ a ess, and even death.

Marvellous properties are ascribed to the Egg Plant by ancient writers. Mandeville, an old English writer of wonderful travels, speaking of the Dead Sea, tells us that “besyden growen trees that baren fulle faire apples, and faire of colour to beholden, but whosoe breakethe them or cuttethe them in two, he shall find them within coles and cyndres.’’ Milton, alluding to this tradition, finely apostrophises the breakers or cutters:—

“They, fondly thinking to allay Their appetite with gust; instead of fruit Chewed bitter ‘ashes.”

The Egg-shaped Morell (Solanum oviferum), the fruit of which is the shape, colour, and about the size of a hen’s egg, is eaten cut up in slices and fried. Around the Solanum are grouped many interesting plants which we ought to mention did our space permit.

The Tomato (Lycopersicum esculentum) is cultivated in most gardens, and produces a fruit called the Love Apple, of a lively red colour, with round lobes, filled with an orange, sourish pulp, having a very agreeable perfume.

The Belladonna, or Deadly Nightshade (Atropa belladonna), is a perennial herbaceous plant, of elegant carriage, but suspec physiognomy, with sombre leaves, livid flowers, and fruit resembling little black cherries. The sweet flavour of these fruits is deceitful, for their juices constitute a deadly poison. In some the medicine drawn from circumstances the berry (Fig. 429) has powerful narcotic The expressed and soothing properties. juice of the leaves produces a remarkable dilation of the pupil of the eyes—a singue lar property which has been utilised 1 ‘ Mestenatiiescou seco operations for cataract to facilitate the extraction or lowering of the crystalline. The juice of the berry applied as a cosmetic pales the cheek.: _ The Mandrake (Mandragora officinarum), the properties of which are analogous to those of Belladonna, but less violent, in olden times, was employed by pretended magicians and false sorcerers to produce mental hallucinations and disturb the reason.

Mestenatiies cou seco xtraction or lowering

Winter Cherry (Physalis alkehengi), a slightly acid succulent berry, enclosed in an accrescent calyx, sometimes used at dessert, is recommended as a diuretic. The Capsicum, the shiny berries of which are green at first, and red when arrived at maturity, contains a resinous, balsamic, but very acid principle, which makes these fruits to be much esteemed as a condiment in all countries. belongs to another section of the family of Tobacco (Nicotiana) longitudinal clefts. Their anthers open by twothe Solanacew. which ——Their fruit is dry; it isacapsule opens in two valves, leaving the placentary partition filled with seeds in the 4 centre. (Fig. 430.) The Tobacco is a renowned plant, which has made the conquest of the world. In all parts of the globe itis consumed. This, however, is not the place to enlarge upon this subject. niger) is distin- Henbane( Hyoscyamus guished from the Solanum and its congeners as well as from the Tobacco, by its capsular fruit, which opens circularly like a little box. Lastly, we must mention the Thorn Apple (Datura stramonium), the incomplete madricular capsule of which is generally filled with pricklesor tubercles.

Fig. 430.—Tobaceo Plant. are succulent The Ascrepmpracem plants, chiefly of South Africa, where they flourish in the dry and sterile soil. In tropical India, America, and Australia, they also regions. Of only two species being found in northernabound; Asclepias there are many North American species, and Cynanchum is found between 59° and 32° north latitude. The roots of most of the species are acrid and yield a milky juice. Most of them properties. medicinalpossess useful of both hemi- tropics are native trees of the The Corprace® mucilaginous,spheres. The flesh of their fruit being succulent, and emollient.. to most readers, are familiar or Bindweeds, The ConvoLtvuLace&,

and universal favourites, from their elegant twining stem, which accounts for their name—derived from volvo, to wind round-heart-shaped or lobed leaves, and the innumerably varied colours of their bell-shaped flowers.

The Cuscurace# are climbing colourless parasites of both hemispheres. Mr. Griffiths speaks of a gigantic species which even preys upon itself in Affghanistan, where he saw one mass covering a Mellon-tree from twenty to thirty feet high.

PRIMULADS.

Perigynous Exogens, having monodichlamydeous, monopetalous flowers, a free central placenta, and an embryo lying inside a large quantity of hard albumen.

; ny RalSs, bushes, or herbaceous plants, with lobed alternate; rosin ie lower ones natalie: flowers in racemes or spikes; cal LIV. Hydrophyllacese. rio monopetalous; stamens five, alternate with the Ox yarophy ee a — y'bes oe dershrubs, with alternate or ppt ttl ea n Tion-atoe ate; flowers loosely panicled; calyx. Plumbaginace. and corollabehingesac gota8, With a narrow tibe or five petals COREY.) “ with along claw; ns opposite the petals; five styles.

Herbaceons plan aa in rosettes, flowers in spikes; v9 dite parted; inbeicate ‘-1 re corolla monopetalous; stamen: CCXLVI. Plantaginacexe. alternate with the petal ne style.

Herbaceous, iat: ert rubby plants; leaves radicle; flowers in radical scapes and poet Bere tonoeaia: — Jo Primulaces. CCXLVII. petalous; stamens opposite the equal in number to its segments; Rone,pose gaponemre

Trees orshrubs, with alternate leaves, serrated, or entire, coriaceous t smooth; flowers in umbels, corymbs, or panicles, small white or red;: inacez. calyx four= five cleft; stamens opposite the petals; fruit indehiscent, aa ae i

The Hyproruyts are little known out of the American continent. Nama and Hydrolea occur in India; some of the Nemophila are garden favourites cherished for their elegant flowers;the Pium- BAGINACEX grow in the salt marshes and sea-coasts of the temperate parts of the world, along the Mediterranean basin, others in Greenland and the mountain ranges of Europe,and a few within

¥the tropics;Plumbago zeylanica from Ceylon to Port J.ackson; the Aigialitis grow ss the mangroves of Australia;Vogelia at the Cape of Good Hope often stemless herbs, are scattered over the The P LANTAGINACE, world, but they prevail chieflyin temperate latitudes; their foliage seeds are covered with mucus,Me astringent;*theiris slightly bitter and which renders many of them emulcent.

The Primvu.ace# are herbaceous plants, with simple alternate leaves, and without stipules; their stems are chiefly subterranean, ‘and their leaves form a rosette at the surface of the soil, from whence springs the stalk bearing the flowers. They are mostly natives of temperate regions, rare between the tropics, but abound-

Fig. 431. The Cowslip (Primula veris).

parts of Europe and Asia. The Cowsliping in mountainous (Primula veris), Fig. 431, grows in our woods and fields. The uncommon in boggyfarinaceous or Birds’ Eye Primrose is not The Grandifloral Primrose is Yorkshire.Places as far north as

an indigenous species in France, often cultivated in gardens; its flowers are of various colours, yellow, purple, and white. e Chinese Primrose makes an agreeable ornament to our conservatories during the winter.

The calyx of the Primrose flower is monosepalous, and forms a tube terminated at the summit by five lobes or teeth. The corolla is monopetalous and hypocrateriform; its limbs present five lobes alternating with the teeth of the calyx; five stamens are inserted upon the tube of the corolla, and their two cells open from within by two longitudinal clefts. The pistil presents a superior ovary, surmounted by a more or less elongated style. The ovary is unilocular, and has in its interior a large central placenta: it is filled with a great number of ovules. The fruit is a capsule, with five valves, opening at the summit, through which the seeds, which are supplied with a fleshy albumen enveloping a straight embryo, are suffered to escape. | Next to the Primrose we will place the Cyclamen, so character- — ised frem its elegant corolla with reflex lobes, and by its subterranean stem, for it has no cereal stem, the root stem being

sometimes so enlarged as to resemble a loaf of bread; it is @ favourite food with swine, whence the name of Sow’s Bread, not uncommonly given to it. We have also Lysimachia, with wheel-shaped corolla,and bitter astringent roots; one of them, the Yellow Loosestrife (L. culgaris), unfolds its large handsome flowers by the _ Sides of rivers and in shady watery places.

Slightly removed from the Primroses are the Pimpernels (A”4- gallis); they have a round ovary, with a thread-like style, one a capsule, opening like a box with a lid. 7

The remaining Perigynous orders, ranging from COXLIX. the JasMINACER, to CCLXV. the Lenrrpunariace%, although they 1- clude some interesting families of plants, our space compels us to — dismiss with little more than a brief enumeration. In this group we must include the Jasmines, chiefly inhabitants of tropical India, America, and Australia, two species only being natives of= the South of Europe. Shru bs, erect or climbing; leaves opposite;flowers hermaphrodite, acai: in corymbs or panicles, frequently sweet-scented;corolla hypogynous, four to eight lobed;stamens two, inserted in the pot IG gene —. corolla; style simple,

CCL. Salvadoraceæ.—Small trees or shrubs, with opposite leaves; minute panicled flowers; calyx with four sepals; corolla four-cleft; stamens four; fruit a berry, one-celled. Found chiefly in India, Syria, and North Africa.

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