Learn how to recognise them and get fascinating facts on their toxicity. Deadly nightshade. What it looks like Where to find it Value to wildlife Mythology and symbolism Uses. Quick facts. Common name: deadly nightshade Scientific name: Atropa belladonna Family: Solanaceae Origin: native Flowering season: June to September Habitat: woodland, scrub, path edges. What does deadly nightshade look like? Deadly nightshade is a perennial plant with long, thin branches.
Did you know? Where to find deadly nightshade Look in scrubby areas and woodland, but also along paths and banks. Value to wildlife. Mythology and symbolism Deadly nightshade was said to be the property of the Devil, meaning that anyone who eats the berries is punished for eating his fruit.
Uses of deadly nightshade. Atropa belladonna Intoxication: A Case Report. Pan Afr Med J[Internet]. Holzman R. Kennedy DO. Plants and the Human Brain. Lee M. Springob and Kutchan Introduction to the Different Classes of Natural Products. In: Anne E. Osbourn, Virginia Lanzotti, editors.
Wink, M. In: Roberts M, editor. Alkaloids: Biochemistry, Ecology, and Medicinal Applications. Alkaloids , Solanaceae.
Used to induce hallucinations, to murder, for beauty, and for ecstasy, deadly nightshade is a plant with abundant history. The deadly nightshade is so notorious that botanists named an entire plant family after it. The nightshade family , Solanaceae, is home to some of the finest garden plants. Tomatoes, potatoes, eggplants, and peppers are all in the nightshade family.
The Solanaceae family is a relatively large plant family. There are over 2, species within it. Most of these are native to the Americas. On one hand, some of these plants produce scrumptious fruits, tubers, and vegetables. On the other hand, many other nightshade plants contain toxic chemicals. The family is full of powerful botanical compounds. Tomatoes are a charismatic plant in the nightshade family. The most common of these toxic plants is tobacco.
The leaves of the live tobacco plant are actually incredibly potent and can cause tobacco field workers to get a form of poisoning. Less known, but more toxic plants in the Solanaceae family include datura, brugmansia, henbane, and mandrake.
These plants can all cause death with only a small dose. Some risky folks use these plants recreationally as drugs because they induce hallucinations. In fact, this group of plants has been used recreationally for thousands of years. Users typically report these hallucinations to be quite unpleasant. It is far too easy to overdose on these wild plants because their chemical compounds are extremely potent.
Additionally, the concentration of these compounds can vary widely between individual plants. Deadly nightshade falls squarely into this long history, both as medicine and a poison. Berries hang from the deadly nightshade plant. The deadly nightshade plant is native to Europe, northern Africa, and western Asia. It is an herbaceous perennial that grows about three to four feet tall and wide. It has naturalized in shady areas of the eastern United States.
In the U. All parts of the plants are poisonous. The roots contain the highest concentration of toxins. In fall, the deadly nightshade produces dark, black berries. While these berries may look enticing, they are dangerous! A statue of Dionysus looking sufficiently drunk off wine. Some of the earliest mentions of nightshade are in classical Greek and Roman times.
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