Family: Solanaceae
Author: L.
Bibliography: Sp. Pl.: 179 (1753)
Year: 1753
Status: accepted
Rank: species
Genus: Datura
Vegetable: False
Observations: Texas to C. America, Caribbean
Description
Thorn-apple, scientifically known as Datura stramonium, is a notable member of the Solanaceae family. First documented by the renowned botanist Carl Linnaeus in 1753, this plant bears a historical and botanical significance.
Thorn-apple is widely recognized for its distinctive prickly seed capsules and striking, trumpet-shaped flowers. Typically found in regions extending from Texas to Central America, as well as throughout the Caribbean, it thrives in a variety of environments, often favoring disturbed areas and roadside habitats where it can grow unrestrained.
This plant has been studied extensively due to its intriguing and potent chemical properties. Datura stramonium contains tropane alkaloids, substances that have been historically utilized in traditional medicine for their antispasmodic and analgesic properties. However, it is crucial to note that these alkaloids are highly toxic and can cause severe poisoning if ingested without proper knowledge or caution.
The appearance of Thorn-apple is quite distinct. It typically grows to a height ranging from one to five feet, with large, jagged leaves that emit a strong odor when crushed. The flowers, which bloom in shades of white to pale purple, often open at dusk and close by mid-morning, adding an element of ephemeral beauty to the plant. The fruit, on the other hand, is a spiky capsule, which splits open when mature to release numerous seeds.
While Thorn-apple holds a place in various cultural and medicinal traditions, it is also regarded as a noxious weed in many regions due to its invasive nature and potential to outcompete native flora. Thus, caution is often recommended when dealing with this plant, whether for medicinal use or simply as an element of the local environment.
In conclusion, Thorn-apple, or Datura stramonium, remains a plant of great interest and caution. Its distribution from Texas to Central America and the Caribbean, along with its unmistakable physical characteristics and potent chemical properties, make it a significant species both in botanical studies and ecological management.
Common Names
Dan: almindelig engletrompet, pigæble
Pol: bieluń dziędzierzawa
Eng: common thorn-apple, false castor-oil, jamestown weed, jimsonweed, mad apple, moonflower, purple thorn-apple, stinkwort, thorn apple, thorn-apple
Fra: datura officinal, stramoine, stramoine commune, datura stramoine, herbe des taupes, pomme épineuse
Heb: datura zkufat-pri
Nld: doornappel
Deu: gewöhnlicher stechapfel, stechapfel, weißer stechapfel
Ron: laur porcesc
Lit: paprastoji durnaropė
Spa: peo de fraile, berenjena del diablo, burladora, chamico, datura manzana, estramoni, estramonio, figueira-do-inferno, figuera infernal borda, flor de la trompeta, herba pudenta, herba talpera, hierba del infierno, hierba hedionda, higuera del diablo, higuera del infierno, higuera infernal, higuera loca, mata del infierno, orval
Ita: stramonio comune, indormia
Por: castanheiro-do-diabo, erva-das-bruxas, erva-do-diabo, erva-dos-mágicos, estramonio, estramónio, figueira-brava, figueira-do-diabo, figueira-do-inferno, pomo-espinhoso
Ces: durman oby
Afr: gewone stinkblaar
Est: harilik ogaõun
Fin: okahulluruoho
Swe: okahulluruoho, spikklubba
Lav: parastais veln
Nno: piggeple
Nob: piggeple
En: Thorn-apple, Moonflower, False castor-oil, Jimsonweed, Common thorn-apple, Purple thorn-apple, Devil’s apple, Devil’s trumpet, Jamestown weed, Thorn apple, Mad apple, Stinkwort, Fireweed, Jimson weed, Devil’s-apple, Stramonium jimsonweed, Apple of Peru, Common Thornapple, Mad-apple, Stramonium, Common thorn apple, Thornapple, Datura
Af: Gewone stinkblaar
Ar: داتوره، تاتوره, سم الفار(سِم الفار)، نفير (نِفير)
Ca: Castanya talpera, Estramoni, Figuera d’Infern, Herba talpera, Talpera
Zh: Man tuo luo
Cs: Durman oby, Durman obecný fialový
Da: Almindelig engletrompet, Pigæble
Nl: Doornappel
Et: Harilik ogaõun
Fi: Okahulluruoho
Fr: Herbe des taupes, Pomme épineuse, Datura stramoine, Datura officinal, Stramoine, Stramoine commune, Dature, Herbe aux sorciers, Herbe à la taupe, Herbe au Diable, Datura officinale
De: Stechapfel, Gewöhnlicher Stechapfel, Weißer Stechapfel, Asthmakraut, Gemeiner Stechapfel, Teufelsapfel
El: Stramonio, Tatoulas, Tatura, Zornes
He: Datura zkufat-pri, דטורה זקופת פרי, דטורה זקופת-פרי
It: Indormia, Stramonio comune, Noce puzza, Noce spinosa, Stramonio
Lv: Parastais veln
Lt: Paprastoji durnaropė
Nb: Piggeple
Nn: Piggeple
Pl: Bieluń dziędzierzawa
Pt: Figueira-do-diabo, Estramónio, Castanheiro-do-diabo, Erva-das-bruxas, Erva-do-diabo, Erva-dos-mágicos, Estramonio, Figueira-brava, Figueira-do-inferno, Pomo-espinhoso
Ro: Laur porcesc
Sk: Durman obyčajný
Es: Tapa, Estramonio, Datura manzana, Toloache, Peo de fraile, Berenjena del diablo, Burladora, Chamico, Estramoni, Figueira-do-inferno, Figuera infernal borda, Flor de la trompeta, Herba pudenta, Herba talpera, Hierba del infierno, Hierba hedionda, Higuera del diablo, Higuera del infierno, Higuera infernal, Higuera loca, Mata del infierno, Orval, Trompetilla, Trompetrilla
Sv: Spikklubba, Violspikklubba, Okahulluruoho
Cy: Afal Dreiniog, Afalau Dreiniog, Dalen Meiwyn, Meiwyn
Synonyms
- Datura pseudostramonium (Sieber ex Bernh.)
- Stramonium foetidum (Scop.)
- Stramonium globosum (Bubani)
- Datura hybrida (Ten.)
- Datura stramonium f. inermis ((Juss. ex Jacq.) Hupke)
- Datura inermis (Juss. ex Jacq.)
- Datura stramonium var. canescens (Wall.)
- Datura praecox (Godr.)
- Datura stramonium subsp. tatula ((L.) Nyman)
- Datura tatula (L.)
- Datura muricata (Godr.)
- Datura laevis (L.f.)
- Datura parviflora (Salisb.)
- Datura stramonium f. tatula ((L.) B.Boivin)
- Stramonium spinosum (Lam.)
- Stramonium laeve (Moench)
- Stramonium vulgatum (Gaertn.)
- Stramonium tatula ((L.) Moench)
- Stramonium vulgare (Moench)
- Datura stramonium var. chalybaea (W.D.J.Koch)
- Datura ferox (Nees)
- Datura stramonium f. godronii ((Danert) Geerinck & Walravens)
- Datura bernhardii (Lundstr.)
- Datura ferocissima (Cabanès & P.Fourn.)
- Datura cabanesii (P.Fourn.)
- Datura loricata (Sieber ex Bernh.)
- Datura lurida (Salisb.)
- Datura bertolonii (Parl. ex Guss.)
- Datura stramonium var. inermis ((Juss. ex Jacq.) C.E.Lundstr.)
- Datura stramonium var. tatula ((L.) Torr.)
- Datura microcarpa (Godr.)
- Datura stramonium inermis ((Juss. ex Jacq.) L.Plate)
- Datura capensis (Bernh.)
- Datura stramonium var. gordonii (Danert)
- Datura wallichii (Dunal)
Distribution
- Bahamas (native)
- Belize (native)
- Bermuda (native)
- Costa Rica (native)
- Cuba (native)
- Dominican Republic (native)
- El Salvador (native)
- Guatemala (native)
- Haiti (native)
- Honduras (native)
- Jamaica (native)
- Mexico Central (native)
- Mexico Gulf (native)
- Mexico Northeast (native)
- Mexico Northwest (native)
- Mexico Southeast (native)
- Mexico Southwest (native)
- Netherlands Antilles (native)
- Nicaragua (native)
- Panamá (native)
- Texas (native)
- Turks-Caicos Is. (native)
- Afghanistan (introduced)
- Alabama (introduced)
- Albania (introduced)
- Algeria (introduced)
- Altay (introduced)
- Angola (introduced)
- Argentina Northeast (introduced)
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- Argentina South (introduced)
- Ascension (introduced)
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- Mozambique (introduced)
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- Namibia (introduced)
- Nepal (introduced)
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- Northwest European R (introduced)
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- Ukraine (introduced)
- Uzbekistan (introduced)
- Venezuela (introduced)
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- Vermont (introduced)
- Victoria (introduced)
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- West Siberia (introduced)
- Western Australia (introduced)
- Windward Is. (introduced)
- Wisconsin (introduced)
- Xinjiang (introduced)
- Yemen (introduced)
- Yugoslavia (introduced)
- Zambia (introduced)
- Zaïre (introduced)
- Zimbabwe (introduced)
Additional Images
Fruit
Taken Sep 9, 2018 by jose (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jan 30, 2019 by Manu Pacha (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jan 30, 2019 by Manu Pacha (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jan 30, 2019 by Manu Pacha (cc-by-sa)
Taken Nov 2, 2017 by Gennai Gianni (cc-by-sa)
Flower
Taken Oct 13, 2018 by Fejul Xeto (cc-by-sa)
Taken Aug 21, 2018 by Pep Secem (cc-by-sa)
Taken Oct 29, 2018 by Fejul Xeto (cc-by-sa)
Taken Oct 1, 2010 by Alain Lagrave (cc-by-sa)
Taken Oct 12, 2018 by Fejul Xeto (cc-by-sa)
Leaf
Taken Oct 21, 2019 by hélène leroy (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jan 7, 2018 by Sergio (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jan 21, 2019 by PATRICK PREVOST (cc-by-sa)
Taken Nov 3, 2021 by Olga Mikhailova (cc-by-sa)
Taken Oct 29, 2018 by Fejul Xeto (cc-by-sa)
© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
Habit
Taken Sep 15, 2022 by Enrico Checchinato (cc-by-sa)
Taken Aug 16, 2017 by Cruz Fer (cc-by-sa)
Taken Aug 15, 2017 by Pep Secem (cc-by-sa)
Taken Sep 9, 2018 by Manu Pacha (cc-by-sa)
Taken Dec 8, 2021 by Alix Wilmouth (cc-by-sa)
Bark
Taken Aug 15, 2017 by Pep Secem (cc-by-sa)
Taken Nov 23, 2017 by Creu Lopez (cc-by-sa)
Taken Oct 5, 2017 by Marcos Rivas Campoamor (cc-by-sa)
Taken Sep 9, 2018 by jose (cc-by-sa)
Taken Sep 9, 2018 by Manu Pacha (cc-by-sa)
Other
Taken Aug 28, 2022 by Fluepke (cc-by-sa)
Taken Sep 24, 2020 by juber (cc-by-sa)
Taken Dec 25, 2017 by An Ja (cc-by-sa)
Taken Feb 15, 2022 by Fabrice Rubio (cc-by-sa)
Taken Dec 18, 2019 by Renaud Brochiero (cc-by-sa)
Sources
- WFO (No URL)
- IPNI (No URL)
- POWO (http://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:314738-2)
- GBIF (https://www.gbif.org/species/2928751)
- PlantNet (https://identify.plantnet.org/species/the-plant-list/Datura stramonium L.)
Specifications
Growth habit: Forb/herb, Subshrub
Growth
Ph maximum: 7.5
Ph minimum: 7.0
Light: 8
Atmospheric humidity: 5
Bloom months: [‘jul’, ‘aug’, ‘sep’, ‘oct’]
Soil nutriments: 8
Soil salinity: 1