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datura
Scientific Name: Datura pruinosa
Family: Solanaceae
Category: Dicot
Growth:
Duration:
Other Names:
Datura: A Comprehensive Overview
Datura is a genus of nine species of poisonous, vespertine (flowering in the evening) plants belonging to the family Solanaceae.
Considerations for Pets
- Datura plants produce spiney seed pods.
- All parts of all Datura plants are poisonous and can be fatal if ingested.
Considerations for Children
- Datura plants produce spiney seed pods.
- All parts of all Datura plants are poisonous and can be fatal if ingested.
Common Names
- Daturas
- Thorn Apple (specifically referring to Datura stramonium)
- Angel's Trumpet (name commonly shared with the closely related Brugmansia)
- Moonflower
- Jimsonweed
- Devil's Trumpet
- Sacred Datura (specifically referring to Datura wrightii)
- Devil's Weed
- Devil's Thorn Apple
Taxonomy and Nomenclature
- Scientific Name: Datura
- Family: Solanaceae (Nightshade Family or Potato Family)
- Synonyms/Alternative Names: Datura suaveolens is now called Brugmansia suaveolens.
Distribution and Habitat
- Datura stramonium is an annual weed found in gardens, roadsides, waste areas, and cultivated land. It is widely naturalized.
- Datura wrightii (Sacred Datura) is common in the arid regions of the United States and Baja.
- Thorn-apple (Datura) is native to tropical America but has colonized northwards as far as New England.
- Datura thrives in the lower desert during the monsoon season.
Morphological Characteristics
- Datura is a woody-stalked, leafy herb growing up to 2 meters.
- It produces spiny seed pods.
- It has large white or purple trumpet-shaped flowers that face upward.
Traditional and Modern Uses
- Historically, Datura has been associated with magic and sacred rites in various cultures. In some cultures, it is referred to as "la Yerba Del Diablo." The Chumash people of California have traditionally used it.
- Datura innoxia (toloache) is ethnopharmacologically important in the New World.
- Recently, Datura has been used as a recreational hallucinogen in the US, resulting in cases of anticholinergic poisoning and death.
Interactions with Other Organisms
- Datura contains tropane alkaloids such as scopolamine and hyoscyamine and is classed as a powerful deliriant drug.