winged tobacco

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• winged tobacco
• Sweet Tobacco
• Persian tobacco
• flowering tobacco

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Nicotiana alata f. rubella
• Nicotiana affinis
• Nicotiana decurrens
• Nicotiana alata var. persica
• Nicotiana acutifolia
• Nicotiana pseudodecurrens
• Nicotiana persica

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. It is classified within the order Solanales and the family Solanaceae. Finally, its specific taxonomic identity is defined by the genus Nicotiana and the species N. alata.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a specific geographical range across several regions of Europe. In Northern Europe, its distribution includes both Great Britain and Ireland. Moving into Middle Europe, the species can be found growing in Austria. It is also documented within the borders of Belgium. Finally, the plant extends its presence through the Czechia-Slovakia region.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Nicotiana alata is characterized by its broad adaptability to diverse environments and significant altitudinal shifts. The species thrives across a vast elevational range, beginning from sea level (0 m AMSL) and ascending to high-altitude environments reaching a maximum of 2,620 m AMSL. Its preferred habitats are varied, encompassing anthropized areas (Área Antrópica) where human activity has modified the landscape, as well as specialized natural ecosystems such as high-altitude fields (Campo de Altitude) and open, grassy fields (Campo Limpo). This wide distributional breadth suggests a resilient ecological profile capable of colonizing both disturbed human landscapes and distinct, specialized grassland biomes.

Elevational range max:

2620 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Habitat :

Área Antrópica, Campo de Altitude, Campo Limpo

Life history

The life history of Nicotiana alata is characterized by a perennial lifecycle, exhibiting a degree of biological flexibility that allows it to persist across multiple growing seasons. In terms of its structural life form, the species is classified as a therophyte, meaning it completes its life cycle through the production of seeds that persist through unfavorable conditions, typically existing as ephemeral seasonal plants. This classification is consistent across its botanical designation as both a therophyte and a specialized life form adapted to rapid development and seed-based survival.

Life form :

therophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Nicotiana alata is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody herb and forb. The plant is a self-supporting, independent organism that does not function as a climber, liana, or vine, nor does it act as a parasite or an epiphyte, maintaining a strictly terrestrial existence. It exhibits an erect shoot orientation and reaches a plant height ranging from a minimum of 0.6 m to a maximum of 1.5 m, with an average height of approximately 0.925 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Growth form :

forb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

1.5 m

Plant height mean:

0.925 m

Plant height min:

0.6 m

Shoot orientation :

erect

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Nicotiana alata is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, utilizing standard carbon fixation processes to support its metabolic needs. The plant is non-carnivorous and does not function as a nitrogen fixer, relying instead on soil nutrients for its development. Its leaf morphology is specifically elliptic in form, with dimensions that vary significantly; individual leaves exhibit a length ranging from a minimum of 3 cm to a maximum of 20 cm. The width of these leaves is relatively narrow, maintaining a mean width of 0.8 cm, though they can fluctuate between a minimum of 0.25 cm and a maximum of 0.3 cm.

Carnivory :

non-carnivorous

Leaf form :

elliptic

Leaf length max:

20 cm

Leaf length min:

3 cm

Leaf width max:

0.3 cm

Leaf width mean:

0.8 cm

Leaf width min:

0.25 cm

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Nicotiana alata is characterized by a biotic pollination process, primarily driven by insects, with a specific emphasis on butterflies. The flowering period typically begins in July and extends through September. The flowers are green in color and exhibit significant morphological variation, with lengths ranging from a minimum of 4 cm to a maximum of 11.5 cm, and a maximum width of 2 cm. Following successful pollination, the plant produces a dehiscence-type fruit classified as a capsule. These capsules vary in size, with a mean length of 1.475 cm (ranging from 1.2 cm to 1.7 cm) and a width between 0.65 cm and 0.7 cm. The resulting seeds are quite small, maintaining a consistent length of approximately 1 mm. The seed mass is notably minute, with a mean of 9.25e-05 g, ranging from a minimum of 7e-05 g to a maximum of 1e-04 g. Dispersal of these seeds follows an unspecialized pattern, though it also exhibits anthropochorous tendencies. Notably, asexual reproduction is absent in this species, indicating a reliance on sexual reproductive cycles.

Dehiscence :

dehiscent

Dispersal syndrome :

unspecialized

Dispersal syndrome :

anthropochorous

Flower colour :

green

Flower length max:

11.5 cm

Flower length min:

4 cm

Flower width max:

2 cm

Flowering time :

Jul

Flowering time :

Sep

Fruit length max:

1.7 cm

Fruit length mean:

1.475 cm

Fruit length min:

1.2 cm

Fruit type :

capsule

Fruit width max:

0.7 cm

Fruit width min:

0.65 cm

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

butterfly

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Reproduction asexual :

absent

Seed length mean:

1 mm

Seed mass max:

1e-04 g

Seed mass mean:

9.25e-05 g

Seed mass min:

7e-05 g

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Chemicals

Nicotiana alata has 4 reported phytochemicals identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include ANTHOCYANIN, D-Limonene, Linalool, Phenylethyl alcohol.

ANTHOCYANIN

1. aBIOTECH

D-Limonene

1. aBIOTECH

Linalool

1. aBIOTECH

Phenylethyl alcohol

1. aBIOTECH