Flora of North America species comparison

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Datura ferox

Datura ceratocaula

Chinese thornapple, fierce thorn-apple

Latin thorn-apple, Mexican thorn-apple
Habit Herbs annual, to 10 dm. Herbs annual, to 8 dm.
Stems

puberulent, sometimes glabrescent.

glabrous.
Leaf

blades broadly ovate, to 13 × 8 cm, margins usually sinuate-dentate, sometimes pinnately lobed, surfaces glabrescent.

blades narrowly ovate to lanceolate, to 15 × 8 cm, margins sinuate to pinnately lobed, abaxial surface tomentose, adaxial surface glabrous.
Flowers

calyx with minute pubescence along veins, tube cylindric, 5-toothed;

corolla white, trumpet-shaped, 4–6 cm, acuminate lobes alternating with sinuses.

calyx glabrous, tube split along 1 side, appearing spathe-like and with poorly defined unequal teeth;

corolla white with red-purple hues, trumpet-shaped surface usually waxy, 11.5–20 cm, acuminate lobes alternating with smaller lobules.
Capsules

erect, dehiscent by 4 valves, pericarp dry, sparsely hairy, with prickles unequal, some 15+ mm, proximals shorter than distals;

calyx remnant not accrescent.

pendent, irregularly dehiscent, pericarp fleshy, glabrous, without prickles or tubercles;

calyx remnant not accrescent.
Seeds

black, 4–4.5 mm, convex marginal ridge absent, testa rugose;

caruncle absent.

black, 3.5–5 mm, convex marginal ridge absent, testa finely pitted;

caruncle present.
2n

= 24.

= 24.

Datura ferox

Datura ceratocaula
Phenology Flowering Jun–Sep. Flowering Jul–Sep.
Habitat Cultivated fields, irrigation ditches, road and trail margins, waste places. Seasonal ponds, livestock ponds, ditches, desert grassland-shrublands.
Elevation 0–150 m. (0–500 ft.) 1300–1400 m. (4300–4600 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
AL; AR; CA; GA; NC; NV; NY; PA; occasional nearly worldwide [Introduced in North America]
from FNA
NM; Mexico [Introduced in North America]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

The origin and native status of Datura ferox is unresolved, although China has been cited as the country of origin since Linnaeus. The most extensive phytogeographic distribution of this species is in northern Argentina. Its association with ship ballast and seed stock of monocultural crops may explain its local abundance when introduced.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

The caruncle of Datura ceratocaula usually does not detach from the seed (as it does in the case of seeds of other species), and swells and becomes sticky when wetted. In this way, the seeds are adapted to dispersal by aquatic birds and livestock. In New Mexico, D. ceratocaula is known only from Hildago County.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Source FNA vol. 14. FNA vol. 14.
Parent taxa Solanaceae > Datura Solanaceae > Datura
Sibling taxa
D. ceratocaula, D. discolor, D. innoxia, D. metel, D. quercifolia, D. stramonium, D. wrightii
D. discolor, D. ferox, D. innoxia, D. metel, D. quercifolia, D. stramonium, D. wrightii
Name authority Linnaeus: Demonstr. Pl., 6. (1753) Ortega: Nov. Pl. Descr. Dec., 11. (1797)
Web links 
Unless otherwise noted, all data comes from the online version of the Flora of North America, who have made most of their content available via a Creative Commons license (CC BY 4.0).



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