Jimson

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A coarse annual herb with large leaves, prickly seed pods, and white or purple trumpet-shaped flowers, native to warm regions and highly toxic to livestock and humans
2. A tall weedy plant bearing thorny capsules and funnel-shaped blooms, containing tropane alkaloids that cause severe poisoning if ingested
3. A poisonous weed distinguished by its spiny fruit and funnel-like flowers, found in disturbed ground and dangerous to animals and people who consume it

Etymology: "Jimson" is a clipped form of "Jamestown weed," a name tied to the English settlement in Virginia. According to a well-known account, soldiers at Jamestown boiled the plant's leaves into a pot-herb and were left confused and hallucinating for days, which gave the plant a name that stuck. The plant is a species of Datura, and "jimsonweed" became its everyday name in North America. Over time, speakers shortened the compound, so the place-name survives mainly in the clipped version.