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Show 7he Hijlory of P L A N T S. CHIRONIA. T HE calyx is an ereet, permanent perianthium, divided at the ed.ge into five lanceolated fegments. The corolla is formed of a fingle petal, and 1s ~qual : the tube is roundilh, and of the fize of the cup: the limb is divided into five equal, oval, fe ments, and patent : the fiamina are five broad and 1hort filaments, .produced from th~ mouth of the tube : the antherre are large, oblong, ereCt, ~nd conmven.t : the germen is oval: ·the fiyle is filiform, a little longer than the ftamtna, and de~lmated : the fr · c pita ted and affurgent. The fruit is of an oval figure, and con tams two cells~ t~~~:e~s ~re numerous and fmall. The characters diftinguilh it fufficiently. BRUNFELSIA. T HE calyx is a very fmall, campanulated, obtufe perianthium, formed of one leaf, divided into five fegments at the edge, and permanent. . The corolla. ~onfills of a fingle, infundibuliform petal: the tube is very long; the hmb plane, dtvided into five fegments, and' obtufe: the fi::tmina are five, ?f the l~ngth of the tube, and inferted into it : the antherre are oblong : the germen ts round1£h and fmall: the fiyle is capillary, and of the length of the tube : the fiigma is thick. '!he fruit is a globofe berry, containing only one cell: the feeds are numerous, round1ih, and placed clofe to the integument of the berry. It is an American, defcribed by Plumier. MYRSINE. T HE calyx is a fmall, permanent perianthium, formed of one leaf, divided into five, fometimes four, oval fegments. The corolla is form:ed of a fingle petal, divided into five femioval, obtufe, connivent fegments : the ftamma are five filaments, fcarce difcernible, inferted into the middle of the corolla: the antherre are fubulated, ereCt, and Jhorter than the corolla : the germen is of a globofe figure, and almoft fills. up the corolla: the ftyle is cylindric, longer than the corolla, and per!'llanent: the fiigma is large, woolly, and hangs out of the corolla. The fruit is a. roundifh, depreifed berry, containing five cells~ and in each a fingle feed: fometimes the fegments of the cup are but four, then the ftamina, &c. are four alfo. . • · S T R Y C H N' U S .. T, H E calyx is a fmall, deCiduous perianthium, formed of one leaf, divided into five fegments. The corolla is formed of a fingle petal: tfie tube is cylindric : the limb is patent, divided into five fegments, and acute: the ftamina are five fil.aments, of the length of the corolla: the antherre are fimple: the germen is roundilh ~ the !lyle is fimple, and longer than the ftamina: the iligma is thick. The fruit is a very large, fmooth, fragile berry, of a globofe figure, containing only one cell, and full of a pulPY matter: the feeds are orbiculate, depreffed, hairy, the hairs radiated from the edges. CAPSICUM. T HE calyx is an ereCt, permanent perianthium, 'formed of one leaf, divided in.: to five fegments at the edge. The corolla is a rotate~ petal : the tube i~ very fhort; the limb is large, patent, and plicated, lightly divided into five broad, acute fegme~ats: the ftatnina are five very fmall, fubulated filaments: the anthem: are oblong and connivent: the germen is oval : the fiyle is filiform, and longer than the fiamina: the ftigma is obtufe. The fruit is a berry, without any pulp, of a figure approaching to oval,. ho~ow, coloured, {ormed into two cells~ the receptacles are .dry, and grow to the d1~p1mentum: the feeds are numerous, kidney-lhaped, and compreffed. Of thts genus there is but one known fpecies. Tournefort gives an accouQt, indeed, of no lefs than twenty-fix different ones; and moft other authors name ten or a do~en ; b~t, ftria:ly examined, they will be found to be all one and the fame plant, varymg, as lt does almofi: infinitely) in the,length and figure of it's fruit. CAPSICU M. . The Hijlory of P L A N T S. I The root' is oblong, flender, and fmnilhe<J with~ a.number 'of fibres. The ftalk is angulated, hairy, firm, and folid, of a ftrong green ,colour, except at the origin of the leaves, where is it ufually reddilh ; it i~ much branched, and with us grows to a foot and a half, or two feet, in height; in hotter countries to four f~et. The leaves ftand fingly; they are oblong, broadefl in the middle, and pointed at the extremity, three inches long, and an inch and a quarter broad;,fm.ooth, thick~ and. of a yellowiih-green colour. The flow.ers arife from the alre of the leaves1 ;and from th~ divarications of the branches; they are moderately large and white, ~nd ftand on long pedicles; in their place comes the fruit, the charaCter of which is, ·that it is a berry without juice; it's lhape and fize vary extreamly ; it's colour is ufually a fine bright red, but this not always: in ihape it is fometimes long, and fometimes ihort ~nd roundilh, fometimes oval, fometimes cylindric, and fometimes broad an<;l , flatt~d; fometimes c01·dated, fometimes !harp-pointed, fometimes obtufe: it is fometimes no larger than a cherry, fometimes as big as a pear, fometimes five inc;hes lor,tg: it is upon thefe variations that Tournefort and others have formed their difiintlions of imaginary fpecies; the whole habit of the plant is otherwife the fame in all, and, as to thefe differences, a ikilful gardener can multiply them to infinity. Tournefort qlls it Capficum; C, Bauhine, Pi-per Indicum. . . , It is a native of Brafil, Mexico, and many other parts of America,· and even of fome of the northern parts of that quarter, as alfo of the Eaft Ind.ies. The whole plant is of a burning, acrid tafie. The people of the American plantations ufe the fruit in fauces, under the name of Cayan Pepper, or, as fame of them fpeak it) Cayan Butter. S 0 LA N ·U M. THE calyx is a permanent perianthium, formed of one leaf, divided into five fegments at the edge, ereet and acute : the corolla confill:s of a fingle, rotated petal: the tube is very lhort; the limb large, plicated, divided into five fegments, and reflexo·plane: the ftamina are five very fmall, fubulated filaments: the antherre are oblong, connivent, and contingent: the germen is roundiih: the fiyle is ;filiform, and longer than the fiamina: the fiig.ma is obtufe. The fruit is a !ound, fmooth berry, puncrated at the top, and formed mto two cells: the receptacle Is :flelhy, and convex on both fides : the feeds are numerous and roundilh. This genus comprehends the Solanum, Melongena, and Lycoperfi.con of authors. 1. Solanum caule inermi herbaceo, foliis ovatis angulatis. The herbaceous Solanum, without prickles, with oval, angular leaves. <to nun on · ffit gbtfiJabe. The root is oblong, flender, and furrounded with a multitude of fibres; The ftalk is roundilh, thick, tortuous, and branched. It grows to a foot a.nd a half high, and is of a dark green colour. The leaves fiand fingle, and on long pedicles ; they are of a roundilh, oval figure, largefi. at the bafe, finuated round the edges, and they terminate in a point. The flowers fiand on long pedicles, affixed feveral together to one common peduncle, arifing from the alre of a leaf; they are fmall and white; the berry that fucceeds each is as big as a pea, black and gloify. It is very common in our fields and gardens. C. Bauhine calls it,. Solanum offici.narum ; Tournefort, Solanum acinis nigricantibus. 2. Solanum caule ~nermi perenni jlexuo.fo, foliis fo- ~ ~ perioribus hajlatis. . • Uttl'OObV Tbe perennial, jlexuous-.ftalked Solanum, with the up- ~tgbtfi)abr. per leaves ha.ftated. The root is compofed of a multitude of fibres; the fialks are round, woody, but very fiender, weak, aQd flexuous; they fupport themfelves ufually among bufhes, and will |