Lindley adds the Olives and Asclepiadece to his alliance, and expresses as his opinion, that
“the most immediate affinity of Nightshades ( Solanece) seems to he with Olive worts ( Oleacece)
and Bindweeds (Convolvulacece); to the latter of which their numerous twining species bring
them very close, while the first division of the order stands on the very threshold of Oleacece.
Compare, for instance, Spring a with Oestrum.”
Regarding this view of their affinities I can „offer no opinion of my own, as the poverty
of my Herbarium does not permit me to make the comparison here called fo r; but it certainly
seems rather odd that this view has not suggested itself to any other Botanist. That, however,
does not militate in the slightest degree against the correctness of Lindley’s views. I have,
however, compared the characters of the two genera, and also Gaertner’s figures of them, and, after
allowing for an error in the last, confess that, so far as such evidence enables me to advance,
I can trace no relationship between these orders any more than the Botanists whose writings
on the subject I have consulted ; neither does the relationship between this order and Asclepia-
dece strike me. But while I would thus exclude these two orders from the Solanal group, I
now fully coincide with the accomplished author in considering that Solanacece and Scrophu-
lariacece ought not to stand in the same alliance; not however “ because of the manifest
tendency of the former to lose the dicarpellary structure, as seen in Nicandra, Lycopersicum, and
Nicotianas,” for that I conceive remains to be established in all those genera; but because of the
manifest tendency to regularity and symmetry of the former, and to irregularity of the latter.
Such a tendency (to multiplication of carpels) certainly does not exist in Datura, and my
examination of Nicandra does not confirm the accuracy of Gaertner’s figure which I find incorrect,
as representing a perfect 4-carpellary structure which does not exist in the specimens of that
plant I examined. My reason for adopting Dr. Lindley’s view is based on the regular symmetrical
flowers of the one, and the irregular unsymmetrical ones of the other. On this I place greater
reliance than on characters taken from either the ovary or embryo, though I am aware there
is a tendency in several Scrophulariacece to become regular, but in all such cases except,
perhaps, the Verbasicutns, with little disposition to become symmetrical.
The immediate affinities then of this order are, on the one side, with Scrophulariacce, and
on the other with Hydroleacece.
G e o g r a ph ic a l D is t r ib u t io n . This order has a wide range, extending from the tropics
through both the temperate zones, but is most abundant in the warmer regions of the Earth.
In America they are very abundant, especially species of the genera Solanum and Physalis,
the numbgr of whose species greatly exceed the aggregate of all the others put together. In
India, though g Solanece are common as respects individuals, they are few as regards species,
but have a wide range, every part of the country being more or less thickly studed with
them, from Cape Comorin to the Himalayas, and in the Peninsula from the coast to the tops
of the highest mountains. They equally inhabit the humid low-grounds and the more elevated
parched ones. On the plains they are usually herbs or small shrubs, on the mountains several
species of Solanum become small trees.
P r o p e r t ie s a n d U s e s . Regarding these much might be said, as many exotic species
merit extended notice on account of both their good and bad qualities; but I shall principally
confine my remarks to the Indian species, a few only of which are in use, and those not
generally possessed of very energetic qualities. Generally the whole family may be set down as
very suspicious, so many of them being known to. be endowed with virulently narcotic and
acrid properties, and so few in which those of an opposite character are found. Among the
latter we have in this country the common Brinjal, Solanum Melongena, which, under cultivation,
has become a common and, among the natives, a much prized esculent; but which is unfit for
use until cooked, the heat in this as in many other cases destroying the inherent bad qualities
of the fruit. The Winter cherry or Cape gooseberry, Physalis Peruviana, now a perfect weed
on the Neilgherries and other cool climates, is another esculent, but whose ripe fruit may be
safely eaten fresh from the bush; and lastly the Tomata or Love-apple, Lycopersicum esculen-
tum—so called “in allusion to the supposed power they possess of exciting the tender feelings”—
in general use as an ingredient in sauces, soups, stews, &c. This about closes the list of our
really useful indigenous esculent fruits obtained from this family. By far the most valuable
Contribution of this remarkable family to the wants of man is the Potatoe, Solanum tuberosum.
This tuber is not, properly speaking, the root but an under-ground stem, the acrid properties of
which are in a great measure dissipated by the blanching it suffers through exclusion from light,
and what little remains is removed during the process of cooking.
That this is the cause of its freedom from the noxious qualities of the tribe seems proved
by the fact, that an extract from the leaves is a powerful narcotic, akin to Belladonna, and is said
to be particularly useful in relieving the pain of Chronic Rheumatism, and painful affections of
the stomach and uterus. Of the esculents, if such indeed it may be called, we have still another
genus to mention, rather a pungent one, by the way, namely the Chilly, Capsicum; several of
whose species are employed as condiments. I have said above “really useful esculents,” for
in addition to those named the fruit of several other species of Solanum are more or less
used as such by the poorer classes of natives, but none are held in any considerable esteem
except those first named. Among the poisonous species, of which this family furnishes so long
a catalogue, those of India do not hold a prominent place, either as regards number or virulence.
Out of all our long list of Solanums, not one approaches in poisonous energy to the English
Solanum Dulcamara, still less to the Belladonna and Henbane. Those most esteemed for
their energy, S. trilobum and S. indicum, are prescribed in various forms as expectorants in the
treatment of pectoral diseases. The Daturas, of which the Indian flora furnishes 6 species, are
more active and dangerous agents, but may still be used with perfect safety in the treatment
of disease, if administered with caution. A story is told to the effect that in former times, the
Scots mixed Belladonna juice in the food and drink with which they were compelled to supply
the Danes, and during the general intoxication and somnolence which ensued, cut off nearly
the whole of their army. In India tricks similar in kind are almost daily played off on the
unwary with the seed and roots of different species of Datura.
These drugs are reduced to fine powder, mixed with flour and made into bread, sweetmeats,
&c. Shortly after the medicated repast, drowsiness and deep sleep supervene, during which not
seldom the sufferer is robbed of every thing, and ample time allowed for the robbers to escape.
Occasionally the dose happens to be too strong, and death ensues. These facts, which are well
known in India, clearly point out these plants as narcotics of great power, and probably better
fitted to induce sleep, in cases of extreme watchfulness, than either Opium or Henbane (Hyoscya-
mus). Of the South American species, some are highly esteemed as febrifuges, the Solanum
pesudoquina being so powerful in that way that the Brazilians will scarcely believe it is not
the true Quinine. __
The narcotic qualities, so predominant in this order, are stated by Endlicher to depend on.
a narcotic alkaloid joined with an acrid matter, varying in its proportions in different species;
hence in some acrimony predominates; in many bitter extractive abounds, and some even possess
aethereo-oily balsamic principles. I am unable to say whether, under this last term, he alludes
to the fascinating and so generally esteemed properties of Tobacco, that being an almost universal
favourite with all tribes and classes of men. When one thinks how intensely energetic the
action of that vegetable is on the human frame, when taken into the intestinal canal, it certainly
does seem strange that, inhaled as smoke into the fauces, or applied as snuff to the nostrils, it
should be so much admired and extensively used. But such is the case and, in spite of all that
has been said and done by statesman, moralists, divines, and physicians, to bring it into disgrace,
it still holds its place in publie estimation.
This may, perhaps, be partly accounted for by the fact, that its vituperators have generally
been either men whose peculiar idiocyncrasies prevented their partaking of the enjoyment
others derived from its use, or, on the other hand, those who had abused the privilege and injured
their health by excess. The testimony of such witnesses can never be admitted as trust-worthy
so mankind have gone on smoking and snuffing, notwithstanding all the abuse that has been
heaped on the “weed,” and, it is my belief, will continue to do so to the end of time, unless,
perhaps, statesmen, forgetting the lessons of experience, put it out of fashion by overwhelming
it under prohibitory duties, to the manifest injury of the state exchequer, and the banishment
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