Datura stramonium
L. Common Thorn-appleStout herb to 1.5 m high; branches glabrous or sparsely pubescent with simple hairs. Leaves rhombic to angular-ovate, mostly 8–35 cm long, 5–20 cm wide, with few deep lobes that are coarsely toothed or sinuate, apex acute to acuminate, base cuneate, more or less glabrous; petiole to c. 10 cm long. Flowers erect on short indistinct pedicels; calyx 5-lobed, 2.5–4(–5.5) cm long, lobes 4–8 mm long; corolla 6–8(–10) cm long, white or pale lavender, limb 5-lobed, the lobes ending in a slender point c. 10 mm long; stamens not exserted, anthers 3–6 mm long; style 4–6 cm long; stigma below, at same level as or higher than anthers. Capsule ovoid, to c. 4.5 cm long, erect, spiny, opening by 4 valves; spines 100–200, slender, conical, sharp, variable in length, the longest less than 2 cm long; persistent calyx-base to 10 mm long; seeds 2.5–4.5 mm long, black or grey. Flowers mainly summer.
MuM, Wim, VVP, VRiv, MSB, MuF, GipP, OtP, WaP, CVU, NIS, EGL, EGU, HSF, VAlp. Naturalised in all States. Native to Central America. Widespread in disturbed sites often in agricultural districts and on sandy river banks.
Jeanes, J.A. (1999). Solanaceae. In: Walsh, N.G.; Entwisle, T.J., Flora of Victoria Vol. 4, Cornaceae to Asteraceae, pp. 332–365. Inkata Press, Melbourne.
Spinning
