America, which in our climate attains a height of nearly 10 ft. if taken up in autumn and kept through the winter in a house. The stems are stout, smooth, and fleshy. The leaves, which resemble those of the Beet, are of an oval, pointed shape, and of a deep green colour, tinged with violet in the variety purpureum. The flowers are small, rose-colour, in pendent cyme-like clusters, and are succeeded by fruit of the shape and size of a fowl’s egg, which become of a fine deep scarlet colour during the winter. Some varieties have flowers tinged with purple and fruit striped with brown. May be placed to great advantage in groups in round beds with dwarfer plants or shrubs at the base, or with climbing plants ascending the stems, but is much better isolated on slopes, etc. It is a vigorous grower, and should have rich soil.
Solanum crinitipes.—A slow-growing woody species with undivided oval leaves somewhat more than a foot long: the young stems and flower-stalks being densely covered with chaffy hairs somewhat like those of a fern. This I have not seen thrive so well in England as the preceding kind, but it is well worthy of trial in full collections in the southern counties. S. America.
Solanum crinitum.—A vigorous-growing species from Guiana, 5 ft. or more in height, with stout stems, set with short strong spines and dense long hairs. It has very large, soft, hairy, spreading, roundish leaves, which in good soil attain a length of 2½ ft.: the upper surface of a tender green colour with violet veinings set with spines, as are also the leaf-stalks; the under side whitish and more thickly furnished with spines. The hairs and bark on the upper portion of each petiole are of a purplish hue, and, on the lower part, of a light pale green, by which the plant may be readily recognised. The flowers are very large and white. Berries roundish, villose, and twice or thrice as large as a cherry. This I have seen attain a very remarkable development in sheltered warm spots in the south of England. It is fine in medium-sized groups.
Solanum hyporhodium.—A fine branching kind from Venezuela, with a stout stem about 5 ft. high, and branches armed with short thinly-scattered spines. The leaves, which attain a length of nearly 2½ ft., are oval, with angular sinuated lobes, the upper surface being of a fine green colour with white veins, and the under side of a violet-red and downy. When young the hue of the leaves is exceedingly lively. The flowers are borne in almost lateral cymes and are of a rosy-white colour with yellow stamens. This plant is sometimes sold as S. discolor and S. purpureum, but is quite distinct from them.
Solanum Karstenii.—This, which is more commonly known as S. callicarpum, is a robust, slightly branching, arborescent shrub about 5 ft. high, covered with long hairs interspersed with spines and of a general variable greyish-violet hue. The leaves are oval, broad, angular, heart-shaped at the base, and 2 ft. or more in length. The flowers are large, of a fine delicate violet colour, and borne in crowded, almost one-sided clusters. This plant is best isolated, as when placed in close groups the leaves of the associated subjects are apt to tear it. Venezuela.
Solanum lanceolatum.—This is the best kind for blooming qualities. The foliage, which is somewhat fluffy and willow-like, possesses no marked character, but the mauve-coloured flowers are borne abundantly in clusters, each containing 20 or more blooms: the stamens, being of an orange colour, add to the effect. There are a dozen or more species that flower freely but have little beauty of leaf: among the best of these is S. Rantonnettii, which has very pretty dark-purple flowers, more than an inch across, with an orange centre. It forms a neat bush, and flowers freely in the southern counties, in warm sunny spots and on light soils. Mexico.
Solanum macranthum.—A fine species from Brazil, confessedly one of the best kinds in cultivation, and somewhat resembling Polymnia grandis. It grows nearly 7 ft. high in one year, with a stout, simple, spiny stem of a deep shining green with grayish spots, and sparsely armed with very strong shortish spines. The leaves are elegant and deeply cut, some of them over 2½ ft. long, falling gracefully earthwards, of a light green on the upper surface, with red veinings, the under side having a reddish hue. The flowers, seldom seen with us, are of a fine violet colour, and grow in corymbs. It will not attain its full character and large dimensions in cold places, and should therefore have as warm positions as possible. Increased by cuttings struck in February: they are fit to plant out in May.
Solanum marginatum.—A vigorous-growing, erect, branching and bushy species from Abyssinia, 3 ft., or more, in height. The leaves are somewhat oval, with a bluntly sinuated margin; the upper surface smooth, of a brilliant green with a white silvery border, and the under side covered with a white satiny down. The flowers are white, with orange stamens, pendulous, very numerous, in clusters. For the positions suited to this plant see the introductory remarks on the genus.
Solanum Quitoense.—A half-shrubby native of Peru and the neighbourhood of Quito, seldom growing higher than 3¼ ft. in cultivation. The stem is spineless, covered with a soft down, and of a delicate green colour suffused with violet, which exhibits iridescent changes. The leaves are broad, stalked, obcordate, with toothed angles, and of a fine green colour, with violet downy veins. Flowers rather large, white, tinged with lilac on the top when in bud, in short clusters. It requires a warm position and a warm season to bring out its best qualities.
Solanum robustum.—A Brazilian species with a vigorous much-branching stem more than 3 ft. high, and furnished with very sharp and strong spines and densely-set, long, reddish, viscous hairs. The leaves, which are very large, are of a rich brown colour on the upper surface and oval-elliptical in form, with 8 or 9 oval-acute lobes, the upper ones nearly triangular; and the midrib and principal veins, which are of a brown colour, are closely set with spines similar to those on the stem. The flowers are white, with orange stamens, and are borne in unilateral clusters. The berries are round, of a brown colour, and the size of a small cherry. As a foliage-plant this is a subject of considerable merit, and one of those most suitable for our climate. It requires a warm sunny aspect in a position which will be at the same time airy and sheltered from strong winds.