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[LakesideMaiden]

(05-18-2010 08:26 AM)Datura Wrote:  Like a flower in the desert
That only blooms at night
I will quietly resist

Got me to thinking that usually some of the most fragrant flowers only bloom at night so I looked up some that do and Datura was one. It also grows in the county I live in and has a very long history. Just thought it was pretty cool.

Datura belongs to the classic "witches' weeds," along with deadly nightshade, henbane, and mandrake. Most parts of the plants contain toxic hallucinogens, and Datura has a long history of use for causing delirious states and death. It was well known as an essential ingredient of love potions and witches' brews.

Common names include Thorn Apple (from the spiny fruit), Pricklyburr (similarly), Jimson Weed, Moonflower, Hell's Bells, Devil's Weed, Devil's Cucumber, and Devil's Trumpet, (from their large trumpet-shaped flowers). Nathaniel Hawthorne refers to one type in The Scarlet Letter as Apple-Peru. In Mexico, its common name is "Toloache". The word datura comes from the Hindi धतूरा Dhatūrā (thorn apple); record of this name dates back to 1662 (OED). In Tamil it is called "oomathai" (ஊமத்தை). In Oriya it is called "Dudura".

Datura species are food plants for the larvae of some Lepidoptera (butterfly and moth) species including Hypercompe indecisa.

Very cool!! Thanks for the info!