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JIMSON WEED (Datura species) There are several species of Datura in deserts of the southwestern USA. They characteristically occur along roadsides and disturbed places. The flowers are trumpet-shaped, white but sometimes tinged with lavendar. They open at night and wither early in the day. They are pollinated by long-tongued hawkmoths. All parts of these plants (which are in the potato family, Solanaceae) are extremely poisonous. They contain hallucinogenic alkaloids which were used in ritualistic ceremonies by native Americans, and more recently they also have been used by teenagers. However, the hallucinogenic dose is very close to the fatal dose. One of the common names for these plants - jimson weed - is a corruption of Jamestown weed, because many soldiers were poisoned by this plant when stationed at Jamestown to quell a rebellion in 1676. |
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