Jimson weed
Jimson Weed
Jimson weed (pronounced: /ˈdʒɪmsən wiːd/), also known as Datura stramonium, is a plant species from the family Solanaceae. The plant is native to North America but is now found worldwide.
Etymology
The name "Jimson weed" is a corruption of the name "Jamestown weed," referring to the town of Jamestown, Virginia, where British soldiers were drugged with it while attempting to suppress Bacon's Rebellion in 1676. They spent 11 days generally appearing to have gone insane.
Description
Jimson weed is a robust annual plant that grows up to 5 feet tall. It has large, jagged leaves, white or purple trumpet-shaped flowers, and prickly fruit that splits open when ripe to release dozens of black seeds.
Uses
Historically, Jimson weed has been used for medicinal, ceremonial, and hallucinogenic purposes. It contains the alkaloids scopolamine, atropine, and hyoscyamine, which have anticholinergic properties. However, the plant is highly toxic and can be fatal if ingested or applied to the skin in large amounts.
Related Terms
- Datura: The genus to which Jimson weed belongs.
- Scopolamine: A tropane alkaloid drug with muscarinic antagonist effects.
- Atropine: A medication used to treat certain types of nerve agent and pesticide poisonings.
- Hyoscyamine: A tropane alkaloid and one of the main active components in Jimson weed.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Jimson weed
- Wikipedia's article - Jimson weed
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