The New Student's Reference Work/Nightshade

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See also Solanaceae on Wikipedia, and the disclaimer.


Night′shade, an order of tropical and subtropical herbs and shrubs and a few trees, having for the most part a heavy, offensive odor.  There are over a thousand species, the greatest number being found in Central and South America.  The leaves have the property of putting to sleep, but lose this when boiled.  The typical nightshade has a slender stem, pointed oval leaves, white clustered flowers and small rounded black berries.  The several kinds are known by different names — the woody nightshade as bittersweet, deadly nightshade as belladonna, and enchanter’s nightshade as circæa.