Nicotiana rustica, commonly known as Aztec tobacco or strong tobacco, known to the Powhatan people as Apooke, is a rainforest plant in the family Solanaceae native to South America. It is a very potent variety of tobacco, containing up to nine times more nicotine than common species of Nicotiana such as Nicotiana tabacum (common tobacco). More specifically, N. rustica leaves have a nicotine content as high as 9%, whereas N. tabacum leaves contain about 1 to 3%. The high concentration of nicotine in its leaves makes it useful for producing pesticides, and it has a wide variety of uses specific to cultures around the world. However, N. rustica is no longer cultivated in North America (except in small quantities by certain Native American tribes) as N. tabacum has replaced it.
Uses
South America
Nicotiana rustica is called mapacho in South America. It is often used for entheogenic purposes by South American shamans, because of the comparatively high levels of harmala alkaloids and nicotine. There are many methods of administration in South American ethnobotanical preparations. In a preparation known as singado or singa, N. rustica is allowed to soak or be infused in water, and the water is then insufflated. In Peru it is known as "Mapacho" and is smoked in pipes or drunk as a juice. The plant can also be smoked in cigars, administered as an enema, and made into a lickable product known as ambil. Finally, N. rustica is a common ingredient in rapé, a fine powder which is blown into the nostrils during ceremonies. Rapé is often a combination of N. rustica and a host of other herbs, depending on the intended use, including tonka beans, cinnamon, clove buds, soda ash In Amazonian traditions, rapé is a finely powdered nasal snuff typically prepared from the leaves of Nicotiana rustica mixed with ashes derived from the bark of particular tree species. The dried ingredients are pounded and filtered to produce a very fine dust. Varieties of N. rustica used include “corda”, “moi”, and in some contexts fermented mapacho. It can contribute to mouth cancers.
Sudan
In Sudan, this type of tobacco is called toombak (). It has been used for over 400 years. Being a form of smokeless tobacco, the tobacco leaves are cured, dried, ground and then mixed with sodium bicarbonate. As such, the freebase nicotine in this product is highly addictive.
Ecology
Nicotiana rustica serves as a larval host plant for Chrysodeixis includens and Phthorimaea operculella. Known pollinators of Nicotiana rustica include: Augochlorella aurata, Lasioglossum perpunctatum, Bombus impatiens, Lasioglossum tegulare, Augochlora pura, Lasioglossum michiganense, Lasioglossum versans, Bombus vagans, Halictus ligatus, Lasioglossum oblongum, Halictus rubicundus, Megachile frigida, and Sphecodes heraclei.