regnum-plantae:

Nicotiana glauca, Solanaceae

Yesterday I wrote about an uncommon, yellow-flowered Solanacea present on Lanzarote, the golden cup vine, so today I’ll write about an invasive, yellow-flowered Solanacea present far too much. The tree tobacco is a large, generally evergreen, fast-growing shrub native to rocky cliffs in Bolivia and central and north-western Argentina, from which it was introduced to be used as an ornamental plant around the end of the XVI century, landing first in Europe and now widespread around the world, thriving in all Mediterranean and sub-tropical areas. I personally observed it in various locations across Italy, and in both Fuerteventura and Lanzarote, where it was ubiquitous.  

The tree tobacco is incredibly adapted to withstand flooding and subsequent drought in an arid climate and young plantlets begin flowering and setting seeds very soon in poor soils, wasteland and particularly along the sites of human activity like roads and seasonal canals. These are all areas where movement -of water, air and bodies- occurs, aiding in seed dispersal. The tubular flowers, adapted for pollination by hummingbirds and moths in its native range, haven’t discouraged other creatures from performing the same role elsewhere, when the plants haven’t directly resorted to self-pollination, as it happened in the Mediterranean. Due to its extremely vigorous habit, resilience and potential to pose a serious threat to endemic vegetation, eradication efforts have been carried out in various locations, as in the northern islets of Lanzarote, in Portugal, France and in Sicily. 

Nicotiana glauca is another species to add to the list of toxic and lethal Solanaceae I mentioned yesterday which have also been traditionally used as medicinal plants by Native Americans.