Nicotiana glauca, Tobacco Tree,
טבק השיח
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| | Scientific name: |
| Nicotiana glauca Graham |
| Common name: |
| Tobacco Tree |
| Hebrew name: |
| טבק השיח |
| Family: |
| Solanaceae, סולניים |
Date Picture Taken: August 22, 2007
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| | Life form: |
| Tree |
| Leaves: |
| Alternate, entire |
| Flowers: |
| Yellow |
| Flowering Period: |
| May, June, July, August, September |
| Habitat: |
| Disturbed habitats |
| Distribution: |
| Mediterranean Woodlands and Shrublands, Semi-steppe shrublands, Shrub-steppes, Deserts and extreme deserts |
| Chorotype: |
| Plurireginalbor-trop |
| Summer shedding: |
| Perenating |
Date Picture Taken: December 21, 2007
Derivation of the botanical name:
Nicotiana, named after Jean Nicot (1530-1600), a French diplomat, who is said to have introduced tobacco to Europe. He introduced snuff (powdered tobacco that is sniffed up the nostril) to the French court.
glauca Greek, glaucus, γλαυκοϛ, bright, sparkling, gleaming; grayish, bluish-green (for plants, a white bloom on a leaf giving a gray-green appearance), referring to the powdery coating on this plant.
- The standard author abbreviation Graham is used to indicate Robert Graham (1786 – 1845), a Scottish botanist and physician.
The leaves of the Nicotiana glauca are large, alternate, petiole, ovate, and blue-green in color with that powdery coating, which are smoked for ritual purposes by Navajo Indians.
Nicotiana glauca is being studied to be used as a treatment for nicotine addiction since it does not contain nicotine, but analog alcaloides (anabasine [insecticide]).
It has tubular yellow flowers that appear between April and October.
The nectar of the Nicotiana generates high levels of hydrogen peroxide, which protect flower parts from fungal infection.
The flowers attract the Palestine sunbirds (Nectarinia Osea), important nectar consumers and pollinators of the Nicotiana glauca.
Date Picture Taken: August 22, 2007
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