Nicotiana repanda
Family: Solanaceae
Plant Description: Annual to 1.7 m tall with generally ovate clasping leaves 8-20 m long. Leaves alternate, become smaller as they move upwards. Rough stemmed. Flowers perfect, in racemes, the corolla 4.5-7.5 cm long, tubular, star-shaped fragrant and white.
Field Identification: Broad basally located wrinkled leaves with long flower bearing terminal racemes. Leaves helically alternate, simple sessile (i.e. a winged petiole). Leaves ill smelling.
Occurrence: Common on various soils. Found in Texas, Cuba and Mexico. Full or partial sun. Status FAC.
Bloom Time: March-November
Plant Use: Ethnobotanical use has been for smoking and medicinal purposes. used. Landscaping under the named “Star Tobacco.”
Plant Trivia: Toxic to herbivores. Late afternoon bloomer. “Repanda” comes from the Latin word “repandus” meaning “turned up”, referring to the leaf margins. Fruit capsule, caryopsis. Contains nicotine and can harbor tobacco mosaic virus.
Key to genus Nicotiana if needed:
- Plant is a tree or shrub…………………………………………………………..N. glauca
- Plant is an herbaceous, forb with white flowers………………..N. repanda
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