Flora of North America species comparison

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Datura quercifolia

Datura ceratocaula

Chinese thorn-apple, oak-leaf jimsonweed or thorn-apple

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

hairy, sometimes villous.

glabrous.
Leaf

blades elliptic to narrowly ovate, to 16 × 10 cm, margins usually pinnately lobed, sometimes sinuate-dentate, abaxial surface hairy, adaxial surface glabrescent.

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

calyx hairy along veins, tube cylindric, 5-toothed;

corolla whitish to purple, trumpet-shaped, 4–8 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, glabrous or hairy, with prickles unequal, proximals shorter than distals;

calyx remnant not accrescent.

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

calyx remnant not accrescent.
Seeds

black, 3–5 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 quercifolia

Datura ceratocaula
Phenology Flowering Jul–Oct. Flowering Jul–Sep.
Habitat Gardens, cultivated fields, irriga­tion ditches, margins of roads and trails, waste places in various types of vegetation. Seasonal ponds, livestock ponds, ditches, desert grassland-shrublands.
Elevation 0–2200 m. (0–7200 ft.) 1300–1400 m. (4300–4600 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
AR; AZ; CA; GA; KS; LA; MA; MD; NC; NM; OK; OR; PA; SC; TX; Mexico
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
NM; Mexico [Introduced in North America]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

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.)

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