Flora of North America species comparison

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Datura ferox

Datura discolor

Chinese thornapple, fierce thorn-apple

desert thorn-apple, small datura
Habit Herbs annual, to 10 dm. Herbs annual or short-lived perennial, to 10 dm.
Stems

puberulent, sometimes glabrescent.

usually hairy, sometimes glabrous.
Leaf

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

blades ovate, to 18 × 16 cm, margins entire or dentate, abaxial surface hairy, 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 hairy along veins, tube cylindric, 5-toothed;

corolla white throat with purple ring, trumpet-shaped, 8–15 cm, acuminate lobes alternating with larger 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, regularly dehiscing by 4 valves, pericarp dry, hairy, with prickles to 3.2 cm;

calyx remnant accrescent (sometimes reflexed).
Seeds

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

caruncle absent.

black, 3–4.5 mm, convex marginal ridge absent, testa rugose;

caruncle present.
2n

= 24.

= 24.

Datura ferox

Datura discolor
Phenology Flowering Jun–Sep. Flowering Mar–Oct.
Habitat Cultivated fields, irrigation ditches, road and trail margins, waste places. Streamsides, irrigation ditches, road and trail margins, waste places, desert shrublands, grasslands, pinyon-juniper-oak woodlands.
Elevation 0–150 m. (0–500 ft.) 0–600(–1800) m. (0–2000(–5900) ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
AL; AR; CA; GA; NC; NV; NY; PA; occasional nearly worldwide [Introduced in North America]
from FNA
AZ; CA; Mexico; Central America [Introduced nearly worldwide]
[WildflowerSearch map]
[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.)

Outside of its typical flowering period, Datura discolor flowers sporadically after rains.

(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. ceratocaula, D. ferox, D. innoxia, D. metel, D. quercifolia, D. stramonium, D. wrightii
Synonyms D. thomasii
Name authority Linnaeus: Demonstr. Pl., 6. (1753) Bernhardi: Neues J. Pharm. Aerzte 26: 149. (1833): Linnaea 8: Litt. Ber. 138. (1833)
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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