Sacred Datura
Zion N.P., Utah

Native to the desert Southwest, the Sacred Datura, with its wanfering viridian foliage and huge flowers that open by night to attract hawk moths, was a favorite subject of painter Georgia O'Keefe.  The plant contains an extremely toxic hallucinogen, but  was used by some accounts for native spiritual and medicinal purposes, and its derivatives are currently used in modern medicine.

 ©2005 Bryan David Griffith, All Rights Reserved.  Unauthorized use of images contained herein constitiutes violation of copyright.