ATROPA, in botany, a genus of the Pentandria Monogynia class of plants, the flower of which consists of a single funnel-fashioned petal ; the fruit is a glo bose berry, containing two cells, wherein the seeds inclosed are numerous and kid ney-shaped.
There are eight species, of which we notice, in this place, the A. belladonna, deadly night-shade, which has a perennial, thick, long, and branching root, sending out strong, herbaceous, upright, branch ing stems; the root-leaves are often a foot long, and five inches broad ; peduncles axillary, one-flowered; flowers large, nod ding, void of scent ; calyx green ; berry large, at first green, but when ripe of a beautiful shining black colour, full of pur ple juice ; with roundish, dotted, chan nelled seeds, immersed in the pulp, and a glandular ring surrounding it. It is a native of Europe, particularly of Austria and England, in church yards and on dunghills, skulking in gloomy lanes and uncultivated places; in other countries it is said to be common in woods and hedg es. The qualities of this plant are malig
nant, and it is extremely poisonous in all its parts. Numerous instances have oc curred of the berries proving fatal, after causing convulsions and delirium. Bu chanan relates the destruction of the ar my of Sweno the Dane, when he invaded Scotland, by the berries of this plant, which were mixed with the drink with which the Scots had engaged to supply the Danes. The invaders became so ine briated, that the Scottish army fell on them in their sleep, and slew such num bers, that scarcely enough were left to carry off their king. To children the berries have often been fatal. The symp toms occur in half an hour, and consist of vertigo, great thirst, delirium, swelling, and redness of face. Vinegar liberally drank has been found efficacious in obvi ating the effects of the poison. There is one American species, Atropa physa toides. See MANDRAKE.