Nicotiana trigonophylla
Desert tobacco, Tobaco loco
Nicotiana attenuata
Coyote tobacco
Solanaceae – Nightshade family
Description
Nicotiana glauca is a short-lived bush or small tree. It is distinctive in appearance due to its evergreen, ovate, large bluish-green leaves. They are prominently veined, smooth, glaucous, and alternate along the stems on long petioles. Clusters of long, yellow tubular flowers develop on leafless branch ends. The flower tubes are 5-lobed and close during the evening. They are followed by an oval seed capsule containing numerous small brown seeds.
Nicotiana trigonophylla is an annual, biannual, or sometimes a short-lived perennial. It stands 1-3 feet in height. Large plants have numerous multi-branched stems arising from their bases. The large leaves are oblong, green, and clasp the stem. They become smaller as they near the end of the branches’ flowering top. The small, tubular, cream-colored, greenish white flowers form at branch ends. Like N. trigonophylla, the capsules contain many small brown seeds. The entire plant is sticky and covered with small hairs. It is common for it to be dust and debris covered.
Nicotiana attenuata is an annual reaching several feet in height. Like N. trigonophylla, the whole plant is hairy and sticky. The leaves alternate along the stems, are lanceolate, and are 2-6 inches long. The lower leaves are petioled, whereas the upper leaves are small and sometimes sessile. The tubular, white flowers form in racemes. They are followed by typical Tobacco-type ovoid seed capsules with minuscule brown seeds inside.
Distribution
Nicotiana glauca is a native of Argentina and Chile. Since its accidental introduction from a California botanical garden approximately 100 years ago, it is quite prolific in some areas. From 5,000 feet and below look for this plant in disturbed soils, vacant lots, along roadsides, streams, and wash sides. The plant has colonized numerous waterways throughout the southwest. The Salt and Gila Rivers in Arizona have dense stands of the plant. From the Rio Grande Plain in Texas, N. glauca is found east through parts of New Mexico, Arizona, to central California.
From 6,900 feet and below, Nicotiana trigonophylla is found from western Texas to Nevada and Utah. It ends its westward expansion in the Creosote bush and Joshua tree country of southern California. It is commonly found in Arizona and parts of New Mexico. Look for this native plant in disturbed soils, vacant lots, trail and roadsides, flood plains, and along washes and drainages.
Nicotiana attenuata has the largest range of the Tobaccos profiled here. From Montana and British Columbia, the plant is found south to Arizona, New Mexico, and California. From 1,000-7,500 feet look to disturbed areas similar to where N. trigonophylla is found. On occasion, they are found side by side.
Chemistry
Major alkaloid for Nicotiana glauca: anabasine; N. trigonophylla: nornicotine; N. attenuata: nicotine
Medicinal Uses
Tobacco’s primary use is as a topical analgesic. External preparations are useful in relieving pain and sensitivity from contusions, sprains, and other sport-accident type injuries. Soaking in a bath made with Tobacco tea is limiting to joint soreness, aches, and pains from a hard day’s work. Topical preparations are also well applied to muscular spasm be it from overwork or injury. All three species profiled either have substantial amounts of nicotine, such as in N. attenuata, or other alkaloids that are therapeutically active, such as nornicotine in N. trigonophylla and anabasine in N. gluaca. Tobacco’s alkaloid content has well documented inhibitory activity on body-brain pain transmission. The oil or leaf bolus is soothing to hemorrhoids and with internal Ocotillo use, the combination will offer relief that is more substantial. I have found the fresh leaf poultice or warm fomentation one of the best topical analgesics for spider and insect bites.
Indications
Acute pain from accidents and injury (external)
Hemorrhoids (external)
Insect bites and stings (external)
Collection
Collect and dry normally.
Preparations and Dosage
Fresh plant liniment/poultice/salve/oil/bath: topically as needed
Cautions
Do not use topical applications, particularly full body baths with an existing heart irregularity, hypertension, or if pregnant. Even healthy individuals may feel some chest tightness with extended bath application. Tobacco is for external use only.
Other uses
Tree tobacco’s anabasine content makes the tea a useful insecticide, particularly against aphids.