Nicotiana quadrivalvis – “Indian Tobacco”

Other Botanical Names: Nicotiana bigelovii

Family: Nightshade (Solanaceae)

Bloom Period: May-Oct

Form: Annual herb

Habitat: Sandy washes

Leaves: Narrowly triangular and sticky; alternate

Translation: “Nicotiana” is named for Jean Nicot, French ambassador to Portugal, who introduced tobacco to France in the mid-1500’s; “quadrivalvis” is Latin for “four-valved” which refers to the seed pods.

Notes: Flowers is 1-2 inches (2½-5 cm) long and is tubular with a wide, flared opening. Like many species of Nicotiana, a “persistent style” decorates the pollinated fruit (see photo); the “sympetalous corolla” (the tube) has fallen away, but the style (the female part) remains, though spent.

Native American Uses: Indian Tobacco was the most popular species of Nicotiana to smoke among Native Americans in the Southwest. See Coyote Tobacco for more information about Native American use of wild tobacco.