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Indian tobacco
DCHP-1 (pre-1967)
Entry from the DCHP-1 (pre-1967)
This entry may contain outdated or offensive information, terms, and examples.
1a
a poisonous plant, Lobelia inflata, used as tobacco.
Quotations
1860
. . . Indian Tobacco, a plant of some medicinal value, is also now in flower.
1b
a plant, Nicotiana attentuata, of the western mountain region, used with other plants in preparing smoking mixtures.
Quotations
1880
Before the introduction of the potato, the only plant cultivated was one which has been described to me as 'Indian tobacco.'
1950
Indian tobacco . . . was used by the Thompson Indians from time immemorial. The leaves were gathered, dried and greased. Before being used they were blended with bear-berry leaves which had been dried or roasted over a fire.
2
any of several mixtures prepared by Indians for smoking, especially kinnikinik (def. 1).
See: kinnikinik(def. 1)
Quotations
1805
[All of which we purchased for a few fishing hooks and a Small Sack of Indian tobacco.]
1915
And he could always [have] a few long draws at his kin-i-kin-nick (sort of Indian tobacco) pipe.
1956
By early fall I was almost ready for the winter, I had stored all my berries, roots and leaves, and I had an ample supply of Indian tobacco.