Atropa

Atropa is a genus of flowering plants in the nightshade family, Solanaceae. It is a small genus that is commonly treated as monotypic, containing the species Atropa belladonna, known as deadly nightshade. Some taxonomic treatments recognize additional Atropa species, but these classifications are debated and less widely accepted.

The genus name Atropa is derived from Atropos, one of the three Fates in Greek mythology, reflecting the plant’s history as a source of poison. Atropa belladonna is the best-known member and the species most often associated with the name Atropa.

In general, Atropa species are herbaceous perennials or small shrubs with broad leaves and bell-shaped flowers. Atropa belladonna produces purple to brownish, tubular flowers that hang downward and later develops pendulous berries, which are initially green and ripen to shiny black. The plant can reach heights of up to about 1 to 2 meters.

Native to Europe, North Africa, and western Asia, Atropa belladonna grows in woodlands, hedgerows, and waste areas and has become naturalized in temperate regions elsewhere. It is often found in shaded, disturbed habitats.

All parts of Atropa belladonna contain tropane alkaloids, notably atropine, scopolamine, and hyosamine, making the plant highly toxic if ingested. In history and folklore, the plant earned its reputation as a poison. In modern medicine, purified atropine and related compounds are used in regulated medical applications, such as pupil dilation and antiemetic therapy, but handling and use are restricted due to toxicity.