Datura stramonium

Datura stramonium (Datura; Thorn Apple; Devil’s Trumpet; Jimson Weed)

This aesthetically pleasing angiosperm belongs the Nightshade family (Solanaceae), a robust family of plants which includes a variety of commonly used plants, such as tobacco, potato, and deadly nightshade (Ratsch, 1995). Widely distributed throughout the world, the exact point of origin of this species is not well-known, though it is thought by some scholars to be endemic to eastern North America (Ratsch, 1995; Schultes, et al., 1992). Like many (but not all) species which fall under the Nightshade family, Datura is rich in psychoactive tropane alkaloids, of which the most notable include scopolamine, and atropine (Ratsch, 1995). Fatally toxic to humans if consumed in high doses, datura is a potent hallucinogenic at sub-lethal doses (Richardson, 1986).

Employed as a sacramental entheogen in Afghanistan, datura is mentioned in early Arabic writings (Richardson, 1989). Historically, it is thought that the Indians of Virginia employed datura in a toxic medicine known as wysoccan (Schultes et al, 1992). After its arrival to Europe, Datura was recognized as an ingredient of witch medicine, such as flying ointments (Müller-Ebeling et al., 2003).

Today, modern medicine has found various uses for the alkaloids biosynthesized by datura and related species. Scopolamine has found its place in the modern pharmacopeia as a treatment for motion sickness, while atropine is commonly used to dilate pupils (Scholtz et al., 2019).

Related page: Brugmansia suaveolens