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S O L A N U M Dulcamara.
Woody NightJJiade, or Bitter-fweet.
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P E N TA N B R IA Monogynia.
Gen. Char. Cor. wheel-fhaped. Anther oe flightly
connected, opening by two pores at the top. Berry
fuperior, two-celled.
Spec. CitAR. Stem fhrubby, zigzag, without thorns.
Upper leaves haftate. Clufters cymofe.
Syn. Solanum Dulcamara. Linn. Sp> PÎ. 264. Hudf.
93. With. 253. Relh. 91. Sibth. 78. Curt,
Land. fafc. 1. t. 14. Woodi). Med. Bot. t. 33.
S. lignofum, feu Dulcamara. Rail Syn. 265.
A N A TIV E of hedges and fhady places where the foil is
moift, flowering in June and July.
The woody, branched, twifted ftem climbs to the height of
feveral feet. Leaves alternate, on footftalks, entire, fmooth,
except on the fea fhores, where they are hairy 5 the lowermoft
are heartfhaped and undivided ; the uppermoft more or lefs
.completely halberdfhaped. Clufters oppofite to the leaves or
terminal, naving the general appearance, but not the ftrufture,
of a cyme, drooping. Flowers very elegant, purple, with two
green dots at the bafe of each fegment, and large yellow an-
therse. Berries oval, fcarlet, very juicy, bitter and poifdnOus.
The youiig branches, Or the root, employed in a decodtion,
are much celebrated by fome pradtitioners for removing various
obftructions, promoting expectoration, and are uferul in
obftinate coughs’as well as rheumatic diforders.
This medicine is to be cautioufly adminiftered in fmall
dofes and diluted with milk, efpecially in the beginning, it
being fometimes liable to produce vomiting, convulfions and
delirium. See Woodville. Mr. Saunders, author of an ele-
. gant Introduction to Botany publiftied in 1792, has, in the
courfe of an extenfive country praftice, ufed the dulcamara
with great fuccefs, and without the inconveniences juft mentioned.