noun, noun which may take the genitive case particle 'no'
jet black; pitch dark
Literary or poetic word for deep blackness or total darkness. Often used in classical poetry and set phrases.
烏羽玉の闇に包まれた夜だった。
It was a night wrapped in pitch darkness.
彼女の髪は烏羽玉のように黒かった。
Her hair was as black as jet.
noun
peyote; mescaline
Refers to the peyote cactus (Lophophora williamsii) or the psychoactive substance mescaline derived from it. Usually written in kana.
See also: ペヨーテ
ウバタマはサボテンの一種で、幻覚作用がある。
Peyote is a type of cactus with hallucinogenic effects.
彼はウバタマの使用で逮捕された。
He was arrested for using mescaline.
The kanji 烏羽玉 literally means 'crow-feather jewel', referring to the jet-black color of a crow's feathers. The reading うばたま is of uncertain origin, possibly a compound of 烏羽 (crow feather) and 玉 (jewel). The plant sense is an extended use from the black color of the peyote cactus.