The Brugmansia Species
According to the historical information, the introduction of Brugmansia
species (in the past) in the Hanbury Gardens dates back to the end of
the 19th century by Thomas Hanbury and his brother Daniel who was a
chemist and was interested in the cultivation of the Solanacee, a
family of great pharmaceutical importance.
In their original regions
(South America) the Brugmansia species were used by the native
population as poison, for medicinal and psychedelic uses and during
religious ceremonies. As a matter of fact, the presence of alkaloids
gives the plants psychotropic and hallucinogen properties. The whole
plant is poisonous.
The flowers, trumpet or bell-shaped, are often hanging. They give off at the sunset a delicate perfume attracting Herse convolvuli; this local butterfly has a very long proboscis and can replace the humming bird in the pollination process.
