The first published illustration of Nicotiana tabacum by Pena and De L’Obel, 1570–1571 (shrpium adversana nova: London).
Tobacco can be used for medicinal purposes, however, the ongoing American war on smoking has all but obscured this important aspect of ancient plant.
Tobacco is considered to be an indigenous plant of the Americas and over 60 species are known to exist. Â Columbus first ran across cultivated tobacco in 1492. Â The word tobacco is a misnomer as the original names given to the various species included petum, betum, cogioba, cohobba, quauhyetl, picietl and yietl. Continue reading Tobacco as Medicine
