Plantation Family
The flower of the representatives of the family Solanaceae has a double eye-lotsniki, snechnolistnuyu calyx, consisting of 5 sepals, stern-leoped corolla of 5 lepe-s, 5 stamens, 1 pistil. Formula flower H (5) L (5) T 5 P 1.
Fetus
The solanaceous fruit is a berry (potato, physalis) or a box (tobacco, petunia). As a rule, the immature fruits of plants of this family contain poisonous substances. Some of them are used for the preparation of drugs.
Wild nightshade
In gardens, wastelands, near the housing is found black nightshade. It is an annual herbaceous plant up to 50 cm in height. The unripe fruits of the black hairy, like most of the plants of the family, are poisonous, but ripe berries can be used as food.
On wastelands, along the roads can be found poisonous twisted plants black bleached and dope ordinary. There are many cases of fatal poisoning by these plants.
Cultural nightshade
Potatoes
Potatoes - perennial herbaceous plant. On the underground shoots (stolons) are formed thickenings - tubers with eyes. Potato tubers are rich in starch and vitamins. The flowers of the potato are usually self-pollinating. At the end of the summer of these fruits are formed - green berries.
Homeland potatoes - Chile and Peru. It was introduced to Europe in 1,565 and was first grown as an ornamental plant. In Russia, the potato appeared under Peter I. There have been many Cases of fatal poisoning with potatoes, as people mistakenly ate poisonous fruits, not tubers. Tomatoes were also brought from America to Europe, and then to Russia (at the end of the 18th century).
Tomato
Tomato (Tomato) is a heat-loving herb that is grown for fruits rich in vitamins. Unripe fruits contain poisonous substance, which is destroyed when ripe. Berries of tomatoes are used in food in fresh and processed form (juices, pastes, sauces), salted, pickled.
Eggplant
Eggplant - An annual plant with simple leaves and a fruit - a berry. Pear-shaped or cylindrical fruits have a dark-violet color, their weight reaches 2 kg. Homeland eggplant - Ying-diya. Material from the site
These are very important food and feed plants (it is enough to call potatoes), technical, medicinal, ornamental, weeds and poisonous. It is important to be able to determine the nightshade, because if not the whole plant, then its individual organs are poisonous. In potatoes, for example, only tubers are edible. Have tomato - Only mature fruits.
A solanaceous flower is a regular five-membered one: 5 conjoined sepals, 5 conjoined petals, 5 stamens (sometimes their anthers fold into a tube) and one pistil. There are insect-growing plants and self-pollinating (potato) among the nightshade. Fruit - Berry (tomato, pepper, potato, nightshade) or a box (fragrant tobacco, petunia, physalis).
Other solanaceae have been introduced into culture - eggplant, tomato, pepper . In the food they use their fruits (berries).
Beautiful decorative turtle: fragrant tobacco, petunia, physalis .
Also very attractive and highly poisonous nightshade: belladonna, belena, dope
- they can cause fatal poisoning.
Potatoes , a perennial (in culture - annual) plant of the family of the nightshade, widely cultivated for its edible tubers. The genus Solanum, to which the potato belongs, numbers about 2,000 species, but only a few dozen of them form tubers. In culture, mainly two close species - andean potatoes and chilean potatoes or tuberiferous widespread in temperate countries. Edible sweet potatoes, or sweet potatoes (Ipomoea batatas), belong to another plant family.
Kombble potatoes are grown in 130 countries, where 75% of the world's population lives. This is the fifth most important source of calories in the modern person’s diet after wheat, corn, rice and barley. The average yield of this crop is approx. 150 kg / ha. The leading potato producers are Russia, China, Poland, the USA and India.
In a tuber cheese potato tuberous 79% water, 18% carbohydrates, 2% protein, 0.9% ash and 0.4% cellulose. Tubers are rich in vitamin C, magnesium, phosphorus and potassium.
The birthplace of potatoes is Bolivia, Chile and Peru (South America), where the local population has been using it for food for several thousand years. Potatoes were brought to Europe in 1565 in Spain, then to France and Italy. First grown in flowerbeds. Ladies pinned his flowers to the dress. The name he received from the Italian word tartufolo - truffle, because of the similarity of tubers with an underground mushroom. Appeared in Russia thanks to Peter I.
Potatoes are not only the most important food crop after cereals, but also a fodder and technical plant. Starch is extracted from it and alcohol is produced. Alcohol is used in engineering, medicine, chemical industry.
Real tobacco
, smoking tobacco
- Herbaceous plant of the family Solanaceae (Solanaceae), widely bred for the sake of its leaves, which are rolled into cigars, cut into cigarettes, cigarettes and pipes, processed into chewing and crushed into snuff. In addition, they serve as a raw material for the industrial production of nicotine, which is used for the production of many insecticides. The real tobacco is a powerful fast-growing plant with a unbranched cylindrical stem 1.2-2.4 m high. The root system is pivotal. Leaves alternate, sessile, usually oblong or lanceolate. Their width often reaches 30 cm, and the length is 90 cm. Voronkovidnye, pink flowers develop in groups on top of the stem.
Homeland tobacco present - America, where he was introduced to the culture of the Indians. Now it is grown all over the world. The main producers are China and the United States, followed by India, Brazil, Russia and Turkey.
Doctors have found that smoking increases the risk of lung cancer, cardiovascular and several other diseases, but tobacco in one form or another continues to be consumed throughout the world, mainly for smoking.
The tradition of smoking originated from the American Indians, probably not later than the 1st century. At first it was associated with religious rituals, but by the end of the XV century. became a daily household practice throughout the Western Hemisphere. The first Europeans to learn to smoke tobacco were members of the expedition of Columbus in the West Indies. In addition, the Caribbean natives sniffed finely ground tobacco through Y-shaped reed pipes, stuffing their forked end into their nostrils. They called this tube “tobago” or “tobacher,” from which the Spanish word came, meaning the corresponding plant and its dry leaves.
The first large tobacco plantations created among Europeans also Spaniards - in the West Indies, and soon after that, and in their homeland. In Europe, tobacco first gained popularity as a medicinal plant: it was used in the form of compresses and snuff. His sniffing became fashionable at the court of the French queen Catherine de Medici, who tried to strengthen her health in this way around 1561 following the advice of her ambassador to Portugal, Jean Nicot. It is to him that the plant owes its generic scientific name Nicotiana.
The plants of the nightshade family have a regular five-membered flower with a leaf-growing perianth. Representatives of this family are of great economic importance. There are many ornamental, medicinal and poisonous plants among the nightshade.
Biological task
The Solanaceae family is a collection of 2,300 species and 90 genera of plants, the fruits of which we encounter almost daily. It includes not only grass, but also trees and shrubs. The family of nightshade, whose representatives are indispensable suppliers of food in most countries of the world, includes such plants: tomatoes, potatoes, eggplants, peppers, Physalis, tobacco. Many advanced vegetable growers grow in their own such “exotic” as digital temperate (tomato tree), garden blueberries (edible sarah), solandra, brogsmania. Many well-known and such members of this family as belladonna, dope, henbane, petunia. Virtually all plants contain solanine - an alkaloid, which in large doses causes poisoning in animals and people. The Solanaceae family has been helping humanity to solve food problems for hundreds of years. So, for example, Indians of South America cultivated pepper and potatoes more than 1000 years ago. Over time, they spread throughout the world. Despite the fact that potatoes in Russia began to be massively grown only in the 19th century, this plant is now almost indispensable. The Solanaceae family is widely represented almost everywhere. The largest number of its species grows in the tropics of South America. In our latitudes, the Solanaceae family is represented by such wild-growing species as the bitter and black nightshade. Both of these plants are poisonous.
Description of plants of the family Solanaceae 
Representatives of the family can be easily recognized by the peculiar structure of the flower. As a rule, he is bisexual. It has 5 stamens and a pistil of the correct form. Filaments short, attached to the corolla tube. The anthers of the nightshade are large, sometimes unequal or close to the center of the flower. In his cup there are 5 leaves. The perianth consists of 5 petals, which, when spliced, form a wheel-shaped or tubular corolla. These plants have one or more flowers, collected in a small inflorescence. The nightshade family differs from others in a large species diversity. Almost all of its representatives have regular whole or dissected leaves without stipules. After flowering on the plants appear fruits - boxes or berries, containing small seeds with endosperm. Often there are ovaries with sculpted seed skin. The nightshade family differs from other plants in the fact that almost all of its members contain various toxic substances. Some are very toxic (henbane, dope, belladonna). Many of the plants of this family are used for the preparation of drugs.
The nightshade family - the basis of agriculture in many countries 
On the territory of the CIS countries, representatives of this family play an enormous role economically. Of utmost importance to us is the potato, which is used in the food of people and as food for livestock. Over the years, the cultivation of this crop in the world there were thousands of varieties that have become an indispensable food for all residents of Russia. Potatoes in the Russian Federation are cultivated almost everywhere, where they are engaged in agriculture. Tomatoes play an equally important role in our life. A huge number of varieties of this culture. Some of them are distinguished by high yield and large fruits (up to 1 kg). Foods such as eggplants and peppers (bitter and sweet) differ in their nutritional value. These plants produce fruits rich in vitamins, minerals and other beneficial substances. Tomatoes, peppers and eggplants differ from potatoes in their thermophilicity, so large yields can be obtained only in regions with warm and temperate climates.
Family Solanaceae (SOLANACEAE)
There are about 90 genera in the family and at least 2500 species widely distributed in tropical, subtropical and temperate areas, mainly in Central and South America. Members of the family are grasses, shrubs, or small trees with alternate (sometimes in the inflorescence area opposite) simple leaves. The flowers are usually in the axillary upper-flowered inflorescences, bisexual, actinomorphic or less often slightly zygomorphic. Calyx is usually 5-lobed or 5-divided, remaining, often enlarged with fruits. Corolla from wheel-shaped to tubular, 5-lobed, rarely two-lipped. Stamens usually 5 or less in zygomorphic flowers (4-2); anthers are opened longitudinally or by the apical pores. Nectar disc usually developed. Gynetsy usually from 2 carpels, rarely from 5 carpels, usually with an apical simple column with a bifaced stigma; ovary usually bilocular (sometimes false-3 or 5-nested) or rarely 5-nested, usually with numerous ovules. The fruit is a berry or a septicide box, rarely a disintegrating fruit. Seeds with endosperm. Solanaceae flowers are pollinated by various insects while in tropical countries also birds, and sometimes even mammals.
The Solanaceae family is subdivided into 2 subfamilies - nolanic (Nolanoideae) and proper solanaceous (Solanoideae). The first is often considered as an independent Nolan family (Nolanaceae). The Nolan family is relatively more primitive than the nightshade. It includes 2 close genera - Nolana (Nolana, about 75 species distributed from Peru to patagonia and on Galapagos islands) and Alona (Alona, 5-6 species per Chile). Are they herbs or small shrubs with alternate, whole, more or less succulent leaves, growing mainly along the sea coasts. Ginets in them from 5 carpels.
Other childbirth Solanaceae are members of the extensive subfamily of Solanaceae. It, in turn, is subdivided into 5 tribes. The most primitive tribe is considered to be the Nicandreae tribe (Nicandreae), consisting of one monotypic genus Nicandra, inhabiting Peru and Bolivia. This is a one-year grass with coarse ribbed, hard-pubescent stems, toothed or lobed leaves, single flowers, a 3-5-nested ovary and a rather multi-seeded berry, enclosed in a cup that grows heavily with fruits.
The largest tribe of the family of the nightshade is the tribe itself solanaceous (Solaneae), which includes several dozen genera. The ovary is 2-celled, rarely mnognegnezdnaya (for example, in tomato). A tribe, in turn, is subdivided into several subtrib, of which the most primitive is subtribe wolf. This includes trees, shrubs or grass. The best known and largest genus of wolfberry (Lycium) contains about 100 species of deciduous or evergreen upright or climbing, usually prickly bushes, common in tropical, subtropical and partly temperate areas, mainly in South America. In our country, 7 species in deserts , semi-deserts and steppes in the southeast of the European part, in the Caucasus and in Central Asia. Some species are bred for hedges and as decorative. Such a well-known genus, like belladonna, or atropa (Atropa), consisting of 4 species distributed from Europe and the Mediterranean to India, also belongs to the sub-tribe of wolfwood. In the tribe of the nightshade, the genealogy of Scopolia and henbane (Hyoscyamus) also constitute a separate subtribe. Many species of scopolia are scopoly light yellow (S. lurida), living in Himalayas , and scopoly tangut (S. tangutica), growing in Tibet, contain, except togo , alkaloid atropine. All 3 species are cultivated as valuable. medicinal plants . In the henbane genus (Hyoscyamus) about 20 species, growing on the Canary Islands, in Europe, North Africa (up to the central part), Western and Central Asia. In Russia - 8 species.
Solanaceae subtribe occupies a central position in the tribe of the same name of the family. Here we must first mention the rather large genus Physalis, about 100 species of which are widely distributed in tropical, subtropical and partly temperate areas, mainly in tropical America. Physalis is characterized by a very large bubble-like bloated with fruits, a red or orange cup.
But definitely the most important for human is the largest family in the family Solanum (Solanum), numbering about 1,700 species, that is, more than half of the species composition of the entire family. It is widely distributed in tropical, subtropical and temperate regions of both hemispheres, but mainly in South America. These are perennial, rarely annual grasses, dwarf shrubs with erect or curly stems, sometimes small trees. Fruit 2-nested multi-seeded berry. In our country, about 20 wild species Nightshade. A number of the most important for human cultural the plant. First place among them is potatoes (from the German word Kartoffel). In a culture, there are mainly 2 close species known - the Andean potato (S. andigena), long cultivated in the territory Colombia , Ecuador , Peru, Bolivia and Northwest Argentina, and our common potatoes.
And an extensive tribe of Solanaceae, but as a separate sub-tribe includes the South American genus of cyphomandra (Cyphomandra) and the Mediterranean-Asian genus Mandragora (Mandragora). In the genus mandrake about 6 species, distributed from the Iberian Peninsula to the Eastern Himalayas and Tibet. Most species of mandrake are perennial grasses, almost always stemless, with very large leaves in a rosette reaching 1-2 meters in diameter and more. The fleshy, starch-rich roots of mandrake have a peculiar branching: sometimes the root gives two vertical processes and somewhat resembles a human figure. Because of this peculiarity, the mandrake has been covered with legends from ancient times, attributing magical power to it. In addition, it contains hyoscyamine alkaloid and in middle Ages considered one of the most valuable medicinal drugs. Unlike the stemless Mediterranean species of mandrake, the Himalayan-Tibetan mandrake stem (M. caulescens) has a developed stem and smaller leaves. At the same time Its closest related species is Mandragora Tibetan (M. tibetica) - it is a small densely rosette plant. As can be supposed, in this case the adaptive evolution walking along the path of fixation of the juvenile phase of the vegetative sphere.
Further, in the Solanacea subfamily system, there is a small tribe of Durmanae (Datureae), characterized by the fact that as a result of the development of two false partitions separating each of the two placentas of the initial bicrophagal ovary, the ovary becomes like the four-moth. The fruit of the dope is a box or a berry. The most famous representative of this tribe is the genus Datura (Datura), numbering about 10 species of perennial or annual grasses living in tropical and warm temperate countries, mainly in tropical America. The flowers in the species of dope are large, with a white funnel halo with a length of 6 to 20 cm or more. All of them are distinguished by large long-tubular flowers with a stupefying smell and are pollinated mainly by long-trunk nocturnal butterflies which fly everywhere to smell the dope, neglecting other plants. AT process The evolution of the elongation of the corolla tube in many representatives of the genus proceeded in parallel with an increase in the length of the proboscis of some hawk moths (Sphingidae). As a result, species of dope have arisen that can only be pollinated by certain types of hawk moths, falling into complete dependence on them. Fruits dope - original prickly boxes, revealing four wings. These poisonous plants contain a number alkaloids and are used in pharmacopoeia, and as anesthetics were known to the ancient Peruvians. Mostly the types of dope are cultivated as decorative. In the southern areas of the former the USSR harmless dope (D. innoxia) is from America and Indian (D. metel) is from South-West China, the unripe fruits of which contain scopolamine are cultivated.
The South American genus Brugmansia (Brugmansia), consisting of 5 species of shrubs or small trees with very large lengths up to 30 cm with leathery leaves, is very close to the dope. Huge bright tubular flowers, hanging on long stalks, open in the morning, and in the heat of the day, they slam shut again, which they fully use for themselves Drosophila species. Flies gather in the corolla immediately after its opening. Despite the fact that Drosophila are located in a flower near the anthers, they, apparently, do not participate in pollination. After several days, the corolla of a flower inhabited by flies, falls and together with it, the grown Drosophila larvae fall to the ground, continuing to feed on the pollen remaining in the corolla. Probably fruit flies complete their life cycle together with the flower of the individual that sheltered them. G. Karzona, who observed certain types of fruit flies, settling in the flowers of Brugmansia snow-white (V. Candida), believes that these types of fruit flies can exist only in cohabitation with Brugmans. Flowers are pollinated by larger insects that can penetrate the flower from bottom to top. The elongated soft or somewhat woody unbreakable fruits of brugmancia contain large wedge-shaped the seeds . As an ornamental plant is widely known "tree dope", which is a hybrid between the snow-white brugmapcia and woody brugmancia (B. arborea).
Of the other members of the tribe, an extremely interesting genus of Solandra should be noted, about 10 species of which are common in tropical America. Most solander is a long and thick-stemmed lianas that inhabit tropical mountain forests and encircle large trees. Climbing up their trunks to a great height, the vine spreads simple, leathery leaves at the top of the tree crown and gives the sun large, beautiful, slightly zygomorphic bell-shaped flowers on thick stalks. Multi-seeded berries plants, free covered in an overgrown bright cup, clearly visible from above on surface the crowns of the host tree and therefore are readily eaten by birds, which spread their reniform small seeds over long distances. Some individuals of solandra in old age almost or completely lose touch with the soil, continuing to function as semi-epiphytes or as real epiphytes. The most beautiful flowering species of the genus are cultivated in tropical gardens and greenhouses as decorative. Especially popular is Solandra grandiflora (S. grandiflora), braiding fences and walls of houses with live carpet.
Interestingly, the pollination of some members of the Durman tribe is carried out not only by various insects, but also by bats. It is traced for the genus Trianea (Trianaea), 3 species of which are common in the mountain forests of the Northern Andes. In these plants, rather large flowers are located at the ends of long, hanging branches and produce abundant nectar. Flowers open in the evening , emitting a sharp unpleasant smell that attracts bats.
The Cestreae tribe (Cestreae) was named for the most prominent cestrum (Cestrum), uniting about 150 species found in the tropical and subtropical regions of America. These are shrubs or small trees with whole, mostly narrow, often pubescent leaves. Their flowers, collected in apical or axillary inflorescences with a small cup and a long funnel-shaped or tubular corolla, open mostly at night, emitting a strong smell. Some types of cestrum, such as field custrum (S. campestre), are pollinated hummingbird . The fruits of the custrum are oblong berries.
To this tribe belongs also the genus tobacco, or nicotine (Nicotiana), numbering 66 species, of which 45 live in the extratropical parts of America, and 21 species are confined to Australia and Polynesia. To the tobacco is close the genus Petunia (Petunia), represented by about 30 South American species; some of them are universally cultivated as ornamental. We have the most famous petunia hybrid (P. hybrida).
The genus of Markea belonging to the chesotropy is extremely peculiar, 18 species of which live mainly in the forests of tropical America - from the river basin Amazon to Mexico. Some species of markei are creepers with long graceful stems and simple whole leaves, gathered in bunches at the ends of the twigs. Twisting around supports , markei stalks creep up and up into trees, forming terminal inflorescences with velvety short-tubular actinomorphous, often purple-green flowers in the upper part of the crown of the host tree. S. Vogel in 1958 traced that the flowers of some types of Marka, such as Markay Dressleri (M. dressier!), Are closed during the daytime and open only at night, attracting local forest rats with their smell, which are the main pollinators of these plants.
The most advanced tribe of the family is the tribe Salpigloss (Salpiglossideae). Plants belonging to it, often have zygomorphic flowers with 2-4 fertile stamens and septicidal drop-type fruits of the box type with lignified outer epidermis. One of the notable tribes of the tribe is Schizanthus, an endemic Chilean genus with about 10 species. It differs from the rest of the nightshade by the clearly expressed double-brevity of an extremely zygomorphic halo. Of the 5 stamens, only 2 are fertile, 2 are turned into staminodes, and the fifth is very reduced. An interesting mechanism is the pollination of flowers: two fertile stamens are located inside the lip, educated two lower halo lobes. When a bee or butterfly dropping down on this lip, the anthers explode vigorously, firing pollen into air . Some of the pollen grains usually fall on an insect that carries them to another flower. Some species of this genus have long been cultivated as decorative.
Another, noteworthy salpigloss genus, Brunfelsia (Brunfelsia), consists of 40 species found in tropical America. They are widespread in the tropical zone ornamental trees or shrubs that bloom during the rainy season and are therefore called “rain trees”. The leaves of Brunfelsia are whole, leathery, often located at the ends of the twigs, sometimes collected in bunches. The flowers are slightly zygomorphic, blue, purple or white, with 4 fertile stamens. With age, the flowers change color like that of the borage ones. The fruits of most species are juicy or leathery berries, surrounded by a slightly overgrown calyx and containing large prismatic seeds with fleshy endosperm. Some of the species are very decorative. The genus salpiglossis (Salpiglossis), which gave the name to the tribe, in the amount of 5 species lives in South America. Salpiglossis notched (S. sinuata) is found as decorative in culture.
Beautiful and amazing family Solanaceae combines the most diverse and sometimes unexpected species, which include poisonous and dangerous plants, such as mandrake, belladonna, dope, henbane and brugmanziya - poisoning butterflies, and the usual most edible vegetables, such as potatoes, eggplant , tomato, sweet and spicy peppers. In addition, the nightshade family includes fragrant ornamental flowers. This and well-known petunias, shy - tobacco, brunfelsii and Cestrum with a wonderful scent, red and purple bells oochromes, solandras, white and purple solianums, and many others ... Besides these fragrant plants, there are many countless nightshade - bitter black mexican tobacco, flashlights Fesalis and many other plants.
So let's start ... Your name family Solanaceae The solanum Solanum, which includes about a hundred genera and almost three thousand plant species that grow safely around the globe in a variety of climatic zones and conditions, took from the large family. Nightshade are grass, shrubs, small trees with the most diverse appearance: with lying, standing, creeping stems, with simple or feathery leaves. Such different plants are united by one common feature: all of the nightshade (not excluding and edible) are more or less poisonous.
Our acquaintance with these amazing creatures will begin with the most ordinary of them, growing where it is necessary and often on the roads.
Nightshade Black (Solanum nigrum) is a grassy, hairy annual plant that grows on vacant lots, landfills, on roadsides and on forest edges. Widely distributed in temperate to southern climatic zones. The leaves are oval-elongated, not toothed, pale white flowers with a yellow anther, collected in small brushes, about five flowers in each. Fruits are similar to berries, first green, and when ripe, black, alkaloid containing solanine. If a large amount of black nightshade is used, severe poisoning is possible; however, if used correctly, it can be used for medical purposes. AT traditional medicine and Ayurveda is used for liver cirrhosis and chronic skin diseases such as psoriasis and take it. With anti-inflammatory effect, nightshade is also used when feverish and to relieve pain. It has antiseptic properties and can also be used as an anthelmintic.
Nightshade bitter-sweet (Solanum Dulcamara) is a semi-shrub, with long creeping branches, covered with oblong, pointed, heart-shaped at the base, leaves. Unlike the nightshade of black, its violet flowers are quite bright and large, gathered in slightly drooping brushes, from which fruit, red as small tomatoes, is subsequently obtained. The bitter-sweet nightshade grows on moist soil in the bushes. Broth from its stalks use from lichen, rheumatism and Cathars. However, the berries are poisonous and are not used in pharmacology.
One more are nightshade, but not the roadmakers: a false transverse and ancestral nightshade.
Nightshade (Solanum pseudocapsicum) sometimes referred to as jerusalem Cherry is a native of His island, Madeira, where it grows everywhere, as we nourish black. In the wild we have this plant is found in the Crimea. This evergreen erect shrub height of more than a meter. Its leaves are about ten centimeters long, lanceolate or oval, slightly wavy, without edge. The flowers are white, solitary or in few-flowered racemes, berries-shaped, round, orange-red, less often yellow, up to one and a half centimeters in diameter. Its fruits are inedible, tasteless and poisonous, containing solanine alkaloid, a poisonous alkaloid. Nightshade is popularly called “berries of love”, according to legend, if barren spouses will eat on the berry, they will immediately have children.
Nightshade (Solanum capsicastrum), or star pepper, is generally similar to the previous species, but smaller in size and has much smaller fruits. Young shoots of this plant have a grayish edging and shorter leaves. Nightshade's Homeland - South Brazil and Uruguay where it grows wild in selva. Blooms profusely in the summer with small white flowers that beautifully cover the whole plant. By the winter ripen bright red fruits the size of a cherry. Dwarf varieties of this plant with fruits of different shades are also derived: from bright orange to dark red, there are varieties with white and bright red fruits.
This plant is very popular in many countries and is sold in large quantities before Merry christmas when the bush is covered with a scattering of bright berries and becomes unusually elegant. Although the nightshade is considered a purely ornamental plant, there is evidence of its healing properties and even meets its popular name - "angina". Healers recommend a tablespoon of crushed dry berries to insist two hours in a glass boiling water, and then this infusion gargle.
And one more brightest representative of this family - papillary nightshade (Solanum mammosum), known as the Cow Udder or Sodom Apple. Like all nightshade, loves warm, from moderate to very hot, but not against a little shadow. Grows more than a meter in height, the leaves are soft, resembling small burdocks, on rather thick stems there are pronounced spines. It blooms in small flowers, usually purple, but there are varieties with white flowers. After flowering forms a waxy yellow or orange fruit, resembling small elongated tomatoes. The endings of the fruits resemble a cow udder with nipples. The branches of this nightshade, adorned with unusual golden fruits, are very decorative, they are often cut to arrange bouquets, especially since in the cut state they retain their appearance pretty long. Solanaceous papillary plant is rare, so getting it in a bouquet is considered to be a special chic among florists. Cow udder - a plant inedible, however, has an application in homeopathy. There it is used as a mixture and is used for hemoptysis and simply as an expectorant.
