I have been reading Plant Intoxicants: A Classic Text on the Use of Mind-Altering Plants by Baron Ernst von Bibra (1806-1878) This book was published in German in 1855 and translated into English. In the book he summarized the current state of medical and plant knowledge of the most psychoactive plants used at that time. I am trying to read the chapters that stimulate my brain, introduce a plant that was obscure at that time, or discuss plants that remain more or less obscure today. Von Bibra wrote about coffee, tea, chocolate and tobacco-- all of which were already in widespread use in his time.
Did I read about those plants? Of course not. I wanted to read and research the various species of Datura. These are the sacred visionary plants. The names you might have heard in relation to these plants are Thornapple and Jimson Weed.
It is interesting to note that the Datura species are part of the nightshade family. The edible plants in this family are familiar to many of us. Examples are tomatoes, eggplant, peppers, and potatoes. Historically for over 300 years, plants in the nightshade family were thought of as 'diabolic incarnations'. In von Bibra's time, the name for the fruit of Datura was "Mad apple" or "Devil's work". But if you encounter its flower, you would never think this plant produces such change if ingested. The flowers are large, fragrant and 'handsome'. I do not like the word 'pretty' to describe a flower anymore. I do not think flowers should always be feminine. I want to describe a flower as masculine, handsome, intelligent and debonair. The flower is succeeded by a large egg shaped capsule, green in color and full of thorns. So guess what? It is called the Thornapple.
What confuses me when I read about this plant is the different common names it has, depending on the region. In Jamestown, Virginia it is Jimson Weed. Others call it the 'Devil's Apple'. Since it was exploited in the famous flying ointments of the European witches, it should be known as the "Witches Apple". Maybe Walter Ellis Disney used the apple in Sleeping Beauty as a representative of the Thornapple.
It is said that the whole plant is poisonous, but the seeds are the most active. Nothing destroys the potency of the seeds--not drying nor boiling. More on this later
Until tomorrow…