Flora Medica

SOLANACE.S.the leaves or terminal, drooping, spreading, smooth, alternately subdivided,and resembling cymes, though not really such. Bracteasminute. Flowers elegant, purple, with 2 round green spots at the baseof each segment ; they are reported to vary occasionally to white orflesh colour, the spots being also sometimes white. Berries oval,scarlet, juicy, bitter and poisonous. The root and young branches, inthe form of a decoction, much diluted with milk, have been recommendedin scrophulous or glandular obstructions. Smith. The plant is adangerous narcotic, and its gay tempting berries have occasionallycaused serious accidents among children and others who have eatenthem. In medicine the plant has been considered serviceable bothinternally, and used as a wash in lepra, psoriasis, and other cutaneousdisorders. It is diaphoretic, and is said to have been advantageouslyexhibited in asthma.1076. S. Jacquini Wittd. is considered by the native practitionersin India as an expectorant.1077. S. bahamense Linn. Its juice is administered in theWest Indies in cases of sore throat, in the form of a gargle.1078. S. mammosum Linn, is said to be bitter and a valuablediuretic.1079. S. paniculatum Linn. sp. 267. Dunal. solan, p. 206.R. and S. iv. 637 Brazil.A shrub. Stem and leafstalks covered with white fur, and armedwith straight, scattered, naked prickles. Leaves broad, cordate, deeplysinuated, angular, rather acute, unarmed, smooth on the upper side.Flowers in compound, terminal, unarmed, tomentose panicles. Flowersbluish white. This plant is called Juripeba in Brazil, where the juice ofthe bruised leaves and unripe fruit is much esteemed, as apowerful remedyin obstructions of the bowels, especially of the liver, and in catarrhusvesicae. Several other kinds of Solanum are used in similar diseases.When applied fresh, they generally act very favourably in cleansing andhealing wounds and ulcers. Martius.1080. S.cernuum Vettozo MSS. Brazil.Apparently a tree. Branches stout, round, covered over with aremarkably coarse, ramentaceous hairiness. Leaves unarmed, oblong,entire, repand, tapering a little to the base, smooth above, closelycovered with white tomentum on the under side, where it is coarselyveined; petioles ramentaceous. Flowers in dense cernuous clusters,with the pedicels and calyxes covered all over with a long loose shaggycoating of the same coarse ramentaceous hairs as those of the stem.A very remarkable plant, of which I possess a specimen marked" S. cernuum Vellozii," by Von Martius himself: it is not very uncommonin collections of dried plants from the vicinity of Rio Janeiro.We are told that a decoction of the flowers and leaves is a powerfulsudorific, and is very serviceable in syphilis, inveterate gonorrhoeaand similar complaints. Martius Travels.*#* A spinose species of Solanum called Burabara, is reported inDemerara to be an antidote to the bite of the rattle-snake.512