jimson weed

A poisonous annual plant (Datura stramonium) in Solanaceae, the nightshade family. It has stinky leaves and white trumpet-shaped blooms and is the source of many useful alkaloids, including atropine, hyoscine and hyoscamine. It's name is a corruption of "Jamestown weed"; reputedly, the early settlers in Jamestown, Virginia discovered the toxic effects of the plant when a cook collected several of them as a side dish to a meal.


Selected jimson weed links:

© 2004 TheBioTechDictionary.com.   If you have comments or additions that you wish to make, please email us.  If you found this site useful, feel free to tell others or link to it from your site!  TheBioTechDictionary.com is a purely informational website, and should not be used as a substitute for professional legal, medical or technical advice.