Nicotiana tabacum L.

 ALA  NSL [legitimate]
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Linnaeus, C. (1 May 1753), Species Plantarum 1: 180

Nomenclature

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Council of Heads of Australasian Herbaria (2006), Australian Plant Census
 APC
 NSL
  Council of Heads of Australasian Herbaria (2006), Australian Plant Census
 APC
 NSL

Specimens

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Etymology

Epithet from the Latin for tobacco, the common name for this species based on a native Carib name tobaca or tobago, from the instrument used by the Indians to inhale the finely powdered leaves.

Contributed by Phillip Kodela
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Source: Barker & Telford (1993: 335); Green (1994: 296)
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Common Name

Tobacco.

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Description

Herb 1–3 m high. Leaves nearly all cauline; lamina lanceolate or elliptic to ovate or oblanceolate, up to 50 cm long, progressively smaller upwards, decurrent at base, winged-subpetiolate, ± stem-clasping, acute to acuminate, glandular-pubescent; upper leaves sessile. Inflorescence a dense panicle, glandular-pubescent; pedicels 5–10 mm long, lengthening in fruit. Calyx cylindrical-campanulate, 10–20 mm long. Corolla greenish cream to pink; tube 40–50 mm long, cylindrical, widest in upper 1/3; lobes broadly triangular, c. 5 mm long, acute to acuminate. Stamens with 1 much shorter than others; filaments 25–40 mm long. Capsule ellipsoidal to ovoid, 15–25 mm long.

Contributed by Phillip Kodela
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Source: Green (1994: 296)
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Biostatus

Naturalised.

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Distribution

A native of western South America, introduced to North America in pre-Columbian times and soon after its discovery to Europe.

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Representative Herbarium Specimens

Ch.Is.: W of South Point, old settlement, B.A. Mitchell 26 (AD, CBG); edge of road at Waterfall, D.A. Powell 629 (K).

N.Is.: Ball Bay, W.R. Sykes NI 624 (CHR); s. loc., W.R. Laing (CHR).

L.H.Is.: roadside from Flagstaff to Neds Beach, 1920, J.L. Boorman (NSW); N end of Middle Beach area, A.C. Beauglehole 5624 (MEL).

Contributed by Phillip Kodela
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Illustrations

G. Pabst (ed.), Köhler's Medizinal-Pflanzen Band I: pl. 18 (1887); T.H. Goodspeed, Chron. Bot. 16: 374, fig. 74 (1954); A.B. Graf, Exotica 12th edn, 2: 2067, 2076, 2077 (1985); A.B. Graf, Tropica 3rd edn, 895, 897 (1986); F.J. Richardson et al., Weeds of the South-east 3rd edn, 463 (2016).

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Bibliography

Barker, R.M. & Telford, I.R.H. (1993). Solanaceae, in George, A.S. et al. (eds), Flora of Australia 50: 334–342. (Australian Government Publishing Service: Canberra); Nicotiana p. 335.

Green, P.S. (1994). Solanaceae, in Wilson,  A.J.G.  (ed.), Flora of Australia 49: 293–305. (Australian Government Publishing Service: Canberra); Nicotiana pp. 294–296.

Richardson, F.J., Richardson, R.G. & Shepherd, R.C.H. (2016). Weeds of the South-east. An Identification Guide for Australia 3rd edn. (R.G. & F.J. Richardson: Meredith, Victoria).

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© Copyright Commonwealth of Australia, 2024
Last updated: Unknown; Feb 29, 2024 12:34 Status: Partial

Author - Flora Editor

Contributor - John R. Busby (ed. April 2021)

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Acknowledgements -

Cite this profile as: Flora Editor. Nicotiana tabacum, in (ed.), Flora of Australia. Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water: Canberra. https://profiles.ala.org.au/opus/foa/profile/Nicotiana%20tabacum [Date Accessed: 19 September 2025]