western jimson weed / sacred daturaDatura wrightii
Solanaceae
At last, I found a native jimson weed. Perhaps the reason why I haven't noticed this before is because it blooms in the evening through to the next morning. Unless I'm camping, I usually don't hike in the evenings. Descriptions of its scent range from "sweetly fragrant" flowers to "rank smelling" foliage. Like it's non-native cousin D. stramonium that I've seen at Fort Ord, extracts are narcotic. Native Americans used preparations in ceremonies.
2 comments:
Your opening "Alas" intrigues me. Or did you mean "At last"?
Does this week spread quickly or cause problems?
I have not ever been aware of it. The leaf color is very strong and the purple is a clue to be cautious.
Your quail photo is a classic...such a sign.
At last, Jeannette. I know it's often found in disturbed areas, but I don't think it spreads quickly. The biggest problem is when fools experiment with Datura as a recreational drug, which sometimes ends up being the last thing they ever do.
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