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Thorn Apple (Datura stramonium) Devil's apple.

Pertinax
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A roman anaesthetic.varieties: Oldoliqui in Mexico and D.tatula in Central and South America. All three are hallucinatory . D.stramoniums apples are smoked by Arab and Swahili peoples and the leaves consumed in E. Africa. D.Tatula was used as a truth drug by the Zapotecs in courts of law.Addiction to toloachi, a drink made from D.tatula causes imbecelity.Its action is very similar to Henbane ,another Roman sedative herb, and Belladona shares many properties.The alkoloid hycoscyamine is the key to its potential deadliness.

It is alleged that the Delphic oracle was under the influence of Datura to engender visions.

Scarey plant :ph34r:

 

I suspect that combat medics would have known this herb well because of its massive range and used it to sedate badly hurt casualties , like Belladonna it would help as a compress for severe pain.

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Quite interesting... this is the first I have heard of this bugger

Its an odd one, this is one of the few herbs not readily available in Britain,( I say readily you can actually get it if you try) ,its provenance for Rome would be Africa and Numidia ,its a tough plant and seems to be everywhere except in extremely cold areas. It is an arsenal of toxins , no wonder the Oracle was so so vivid .

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