Nicotiana rustica L.

Solanaceae, Jennifer M Edmonds. Oliganthes, Melongena & Monodolichopus, Maria S. Vorontsova & Sandra Knapp. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 2012

Type

Type: “in America, nunc in Europa, Herb. Linnaeus 245.3 (LINN!, lecto. designated by Goodspeed in The genus Nicotiana: 351 (1954) [without specimen citation]) & Deb in Journ. Econ. Tax. Bot. 1: 43 (1980). [See also Jarvis, Order out of Chaos: 693 (2007)]

Morphology General Habit

Annual herb to 1.5 m, sometimes becoming shrubby.

Morphology Stem

Stems erect, all parts conspicuously viscid-villous, with spreading simple glandular-headed hairs

Morphology Leaves

Leaves often fleshy, viscid, lanceolate, ovate-lanceolate to cordiform, 8–16.5(–26) × 4–9(–22.5) cm, upper leaves often smaller, bases cordate to cuneate, apices obtuse to acute, villous but hairs sparser on upper surfaces; petioles 2–8 cm long

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescences sparsely branched panicles; flowers opening by day; pedicels always erect, 4–5 mm long in flower, 5–10 mm long in fruit, densely glandular-villous

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx campanulate to cupulate, 6–10 × 4–8 mm, densely glandular-pilose externally, lobes unequal, broadly triangular, 1.5–4 × 1.3–4.5 mm, acute, enlarging in fruit

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla yellow, greenish-yellow to whitish, broadly cylindrical to tubular below, ampliate becoming urceolate above, 1.4–2 × 0.5–1.1 cm diameter apically; tube inflated, 1.2–2 × ± 2 mm wide basally increasing to 8 mm apically below lobes where constricted, pilose externally, glabrous internally; lobes shallow, 1.5–2 × 5–6 mm, acute or slightly apiculate, spreading after anthesis

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens unequal with fifth usually longer, occasionally shorter; filaments free for 7–10 mm, with fifth free for 6–7 mm; anthers yellow, cordiform, 1.5–2 × 1.2–1.8 mm

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary

Ovary ovoid to conical, 1.7–2.5 × 1.2–2 mm; disc crenulate, 1.5–2.5 mm diameter; style glabrous, 9–11 mm long; stigma green, 0.6–0.8 × 0.7–1.8 mm. Capsules dark brown, globose, 0.8–1.6 cm in diameter, glabrous, dehiscing by four glabrous smooth valves, subtended by accrescent glabrescent calyx

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds ellipsoid, ovoid, obovoid or discoid, 0.7–1.3 × 0.6–0.9 mm

Figures

Fig 3/9 & 10, p 22

Ecology

Abandoned villages, shambas and cultivation sites, and on roadsides and rubble; (300–)1050–2350 m

Conservation

Widespread; least concern (LC)

Note

This species is considered to be a cultigen of amphidiploid origin derived from N. paniculata L. and N. undulata Ruiz & Pavon. It was widely cultivated in the Andes, Mexico, southwestern and eastern USA and eastern Canada, often being known as wild or Aztec tobacco. Though it has become locally naturalised in many countries, it has been largely replaced by N. tabacum as the predominant source of tobacco for smoking, chewing and snuff. Deb (Journ. Econ. Tax. Bot, 1: 43 (1980)) described this species as a highly polymorphic cultigen apparently now unknown in the wild state; several varieties have been described, and many cultivars have been developed. It is smoked and cultivated for snuff in Uganda.

Distribution

Flora districts: U1 K1 K4 T2 3 Range: Originally native to South America (Andes from Ecuador to Bolivia) and Mexico, widely grown for tobacco and snuff by villagers throughout Africa, Europe, Asia, the USA and Australia

Flora Zambesiaca. Vol. 8, Part 4. Solanaceae. Gonçalves AE. 2005

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Pedicel

Pedicels (2)3–5 mm long, slender, later somewhat thickened distally and 5–7 mm long, ± erect, glandular-pubescent

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx 5–13 × 3.5–7 mm, poculiform to tubular, pubescent; lobes subequal or unequal, one much longer than the other 4, 1–5 × 1. 5–5 mm, ± broadly triangular or ovate-triangular, acute to obtuse, somewhat ciliate; in fruit somewhat enlarged to 12 × 12 mm and enclosing it or not Calyx 5–13 × 3.5–7 mm, poculiform to tubular, pubescent; lobes subequal or unequal, one much longer than the other 4, 1–5 × 1.5–5 mm, ± broadly triangular or ovate-triangular, acute to obtuse, somewhat ciliate; in fruit somewhat enlarged to 12 × 12 mm and enclosing it or not.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla greenish to yellow, 1. 2–2 cm long, salviform or tubular-campanulate; tube narrow to just above the calyx, then broadly dilated and urceolate, 4–6 mm wide distally, slightly villous to puberulent outside; limb 2–4 mm long, 3–7(10) mm across, shortly lobed or subentire at the margin; lobes 0.2–3 × 2–7 mm, triangular, rounded, obtuse-apiculate or sub-acute, erect or spreading Corolla greenish to yellow, 1.2–2 cm long, salviform or tubular-campanulate; tube narrow to just above the calyx, then broadly dilated and urceolate, 4–6 mm wide distally, slightly villous to puberulent outside; limb 2–4 mm long, 3–7(10) mm across, shortly lobed or subentire at the margin; lobes 0.2–3 × 2–7 mm, triangular, rounded, obtuse-apiculate or sub-acute, erect or spreading.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens unequal or subequal, one shorter than the other 4, included; filaments 0.6–1 cm long, attached at or sometimes near the base of the corolla dilation, white-hairy at or near the insertion, sigmoidly erect; anthers 1. 5–1. 8 × 1 mm Stamens unequal or subequal, one shorter than the other 4, included; filaments 0.6–1 cm long, attached at or sometimes near the base of the corolla dilation, white-hairy at or near the insertion, sigmoidly erect; anthers 1.5–1.8 × 1 mm.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Disc

Disk 0.2–0.5 mm high, somewhat thin, coalescent downwards and the rest adnate to the basal part of the ovary, obsoletely lobed Disk 0.2–0.5 mm high, somewhat thin, coalescent downwards and the rest adnate to the basal part of the ovary, obsoletely lobed.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary

Ovary 2.5–3 × 1. 5–2 mm, conic or ovoid, glabrous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style

Style 0.7–1. 2 cm long, straight, glabrous

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit ± erect, brownish, 7–11 × 7–11 mm, ± globose to ellipsoid-ovoid, without an apical beak, thin-walled, glabrous, splitting above into 2 valves by septicidal slits Fruit ± erect, brownish, 7–11 × 7–11 mm, ± globose to ellipsoid-ovoid, without an apical beak, thin-walled, glabrous, splitting above into 2 valves by septicidal slits.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds dull-brown, 0.7–1 × 0.6–0.9 mm, subglobose, ovoid or ellipsoid, angular, fluted-reticulate Seeds dull-brown, 0.7–1 × 0.6–0.9 mm, subglobose, ovoid or ellipsoid, angular, fluted-reticulate.

Ecology

Riverbeds, in old cultivated ground and waste places; up to c. 1000 m.

Note

Common name: “Turkish Tobacco” or “East Indian Tobacco”. Cultivated since antiquity for snuff and nowadays as a source of nicotine and medicinal products, and also as a garden ornamental; now locally naturalized. Chromosome number: 2n=48

Distribution

Zimbabwe Malawi ZAM N, ZIM N, MOZ T Native to South America, now extending from Mexico southwards to Chile and Argentina; widely distributed in warm and warm-temperate regions of both hemispheres, extending eastwards throughout the Mediterranean region to East India and southwards throughou Mozambique Zambia

Morphology General Habit

Annual to short-lived perennial herb 0.2–0.9 m tall (elsewhere said to reach 1.5 m), sometimes somewhat bushy below, somewhat viscid-pubescent. Annual to short-lived perennial herb 0.2–0.9 m tall (elsewhere said to reach 1. 5 m), sometimes somewhat bushy below, somewhat viscid-pubescent

Morphology Branches

Branches herbaceous, ± terete. Branches herbaceous, ± terete

Morphology Leaves

Leaves often solitary, green or brownish, not glaucous, minutely puberulent to sparsely hairy and often viscid on both sides with long, multicellular hairs; petiole 0.5–4 cm long, not winged; lamina thickened, ± fleshy, 2.5–12.5 × 1–10.5 cm (elsewhere lower ones said to reach 30 cm in length), broadly ovate to elliptic, sometimes elliptic-lanceolate or suborbicular, base attenuate or cuneate to rounded, sometimes subcordate, equal-sided to unequal-sided, apex rounded or obtuse to acute, entire to rarely undulate. Leaves often solitary, green or brownish, not glaucous, minutely puberulent to sparsely hairy and often viscid on both sides with long, multicellular hairs; petiole 0.5–4 cm long, not winged; lamina thickened, ± fleshy, 2.5–12.5 × 1–10.5 cm (elsewhere lower ones said to reach 30 cm in length), broadly ovate to elliptic, sometimes elliptic-lanceolate or suborbicular, base attenuate or cuneate to rounded, sometimes subcordate, equal-sided to unequal-sided, apex rounded or obtuse to acute, entire to rarely undulate

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers often many, erect or drooping, in narrow and compact or broad and loose, glandular-pubescent, paniculiform, terminal inflorescences 3–6 cm long; bracts and bracteoles small, linear to foliaceous, often ephemeral, or absent; pedicels (2)3–5 mm long, slender, later somewhat thickened distally and 5–7 mm long, ± erect, glandular-pubescent. Flowers often many, erect or drooping, in narrow and compact or broad and loose, glandular-pubescent, paniculiform, terminal inflorescences 3–6 cm long; bracts and bracteoles small, linear to foliaceous, often ephemeral, or absent.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil

Ovary 2.5–3 × 1.5–2 mm, conic or ovoid, glabrous; style 0.7–1.2 cm long, straight, glabrous.

Cytology

Chromosome number: 2n=48.

Extinction risk predictions for the world's flowering plants to support their conservation (2024). Bachman, S.P., Brown, M.J.M., Leão, T.C.C., Lughadha, E.N., Walker, B.E. https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nph.19592

Conservation

Predicted extinction risk: not threatened. Confidence: confident

Bernal, R., G. Galeano, A. Rodríguez, H. Sarmiento y M. Gutiérrez. 2017. Nombres Comunes de las Plantas de Colombia. http://www.biovirtual.unal.edu.co/nombrescomunes/

Vernacular

tabaco, tabaco sabanero

Bernal, R., Gradstein, S.R. & Celis, M. (eds.). 2015. Catálogo de plantas y líquenes de Colombia. Instituto de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá. http://catalogoplantasdecolombia.unal.edu.co

Distribution

Nativa en Colombia; Alt. 1750 - 4000 m.; Andes.

Morphology General Habit

Subarbusto

Conservation

No Evaluada

Solanaceae, H. heine. Flora of West Tropical Africa 2. 1963

Morphology General Habit

Herb, branched up to 4 ft. high

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Short greenish-yellow flowers villous outside.