Flora of North America species comparison

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Datura ferox

Datura quercifolia

Chinese thornapple, fierce thorn-apple

Chinese thorn-apple, oak-leaf jimsonweed or thorn-apple
Habit Herbs annual, to 10 dm. Herbs annual, to 8 dm.
Stems

puberulent, sometimes glabrescent.

hairy, sometimes villous.
Leaf

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

blades elliptic to narrowly ovate, to 16 × 10 cm, margins usually pinnately lobed, sometimes sinuate-dentate, abaxial surface hairy, adaxial surface glabrescent.
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 whitish to purple, trumpet-shaped, 4–8 cm, acuminate lobes alternating with sinuses.
Capsules

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

calyx remnant not accrescent.

erect, dehiscent by 4 valves, pericarp dry, glabrous or hairy, with prickles unequal, proximals shorter than distals;

calyx remnant not accrescent.
Seeds

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

caruncle absent.

black, 3–5 mm, convex marginal ridge absent, testa rugose;

caruncle absent.
2n

= 24.

= 24.

Datura ferox

Datura quercifolia
Phenology Flowering Jun–Sep. Flowering Jul–Oct.
Habitat Cultivated fields, irrigation ditches, road and trail margins, waste places. Gardens, cultivated fields, irriga­tion ditches, margins of roads and trails, waste places in various types of vegetation.
Elevation 0–150 m. (0–500 ft.) 0–2200 m. (0–7200 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
AL; AR; CA; GA; NC; NV; NY; PA; occasional nearly worldwide [Introduced in North America]
from FNA
AR; AZ; CA; GA; KS; LA; MA; MD; NC; NM; OK; OR; PA; SC; TX; Mexico
[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.)

Datura quercifolia is native to the Chihuahuan Desert, where it hybridizes occasionally with introduced D. stramonium. In the flora area, it is native to Texas and possibly New Mexico. Its geographic range is expanding especially in agricultural habitats. Although recently documented in central California (former orange orchard in Riverside; 1984, 1996), it has not expanded its range in that state.

(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. discolor, D. ferox, D. innoxia, D. metel, D. stramonium, D. wrightii
Name authority Linnaeus: Demonstr. Pl., 6. (1753) Kunth in A. von Humboldt et al.: Nov. Gen. Sp., 3(fol.): 6; 3(qto.): 7. (1818)
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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