Nicotiana glauca
Nicotiana attenuata
tree tobacco
coyote tobacco, wild tobacco
usually branched near base, occasionally with distinct trunk (branches drooping), 10–60(–100) dm, glabrous, somewhat glaucous.
single or with few weak lateral branches, 5–20 dm, viscid-pubescent or glabrate with few hairs with swollen bases.
petiole length 1/2 blade (not winged);
blade ovate to lanceolate, 5–25 cm, base acute or cordate, apex rounded, (rubbery), surfaces glabrous, glaucous.
petiole length to 1/2 blade, distal leaves sessile;
blade lanceolate to linear, progressively narrower distally, 2–8(–10.5) cm, apex acute to acuminate, surfaces viscid-pubescent or glabrate.
branched, not leafy; flowering diurnal.
unbranched or with few short lateral branches, somewhat leafy; flowering crepuscular (early morning).
0.3–1 cm.
0.2–0.4 cm.
calyx green, (evenly cylindric), 1–1.5 cm, without membranous sinuses, glabrous or minutely pubescent, lobes sharply triangular, equal, much shorter than tube;
corolla straight, 2.5–4.5 cm (excluding limb), glabrous or finely pubescent externally, tube bright yellow to greenish yellow, (cylindric to clavate, slightly constricted apically), 0.5–0.8 cm × 3 mm, widening slightly to throat 1.5–4 cm × 6–8 mm, glabrous within, limb assurgent, greenish yellow or bright green (usually distinct color from tube in young flowers), turning yellow and same color as tube with age, circular or pentagonal, 0.6–0.8 cm diam., lobes rounded, broadly triangular, equal;
stamens inserted at base of throat, extending to corolla mouth;
filaments subequal 2.5–4.5 cm, (geniculate at base), glabrous;
style straight, exceeding stamens and exserted from corolla mouth.
calyx uniformly green or with weakly developed veins, 0.6–1 cm, densely viscid-pubescent (hairs with swollen bases), lobes narrowly triangular, shorter than tube, unequal;
corolla straight, 2–3.5 cm (excluding limb), viscid-puberulent externally, tube creamy white or tinged with purple-green or gray-green, 0.5–0.7 cm × 1.5–2 mm, widening to throat 2–3 × 5 mm (asymmetrically dilated distally), glabrous or minutely puberulent within, limb spreading or slightly reflexed, white or cream, pentagonal to ± circular and often asymmetrically spreading, 0.4–0.8 cm diam., lobes shallow and rounded or obtuse, broadly triangular (proximal lobes reflexed);
stamens inserted near base of throat, included;
filaments unequal, 4 of 3 cm (2 of these slightly longer), 1 shorter, 1.5–2 cm, glabrous or minutely pubescent proximally;
style straight, just shorter than longest stamen pair.
not tearing along sinuses, covering mature capsule.
not tearing at sinuses, covering to 1/2 of mature capsule.
ovoid, 0.7–1.5 cm.
ovoid, 0.8–1.2 cm.
0.5 mm.
0.8 mm.
trees or shrubs.
leaves: petiole length shorter than or almost equaling blade (2–3 cm);
blade elliptic or oblong-elliptic, 5–10 cm, surfaces viscid-pubescent.
= 24.
= 24.
Nicotiana glauca
Nicotiana attenuata
Nicotiana glauca is registered as an invasive plant in the United States (www.invasives.org). It can form monodominant stands due to high seed set and germination success. It was originally introduced from Argentina to Mexico, thence to the United States and worldwide (T. H. Goodspeed 1954). Siphaulax glabra Rafinesque is an illegitimate, superfluous name for this species.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Nicotiana attenuata is the most common species of the genus in the Great Basin, and often forms large colonies after fires and other disturbance. It has been the subject of intensive study over many years by the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology at the Lytle Ranch Preserve in southwestern Utah (for example, C. Diezel et al. 2011; D. Kessler et al. 2015). There are some records of its use by Native American peoples as a smoking or chewing tobacco; it has also been reported as a medicinal plant used by the Zuni people (M. C. Stevenson 1915). Nicotiana torreyana A. Nelson & J. F. Macbride is an illegitimate name that has been applied to this species.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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