Weed Identification

Australia > > Downy Thornapple

Downy Thornapple

Datura inoxia

Family: Solanaceae.

Form: Herb

Origin: Native from the USA (Texas) to Bolivia in South America, and to the West Indies.

Flowers/Seedhead: Trumpet-shaped flowers appearing 10-lobed surrounded at base by sepals 5–11 cm long. Flowers summer.

Description: Annual to perennial herb to 1 m high and 2 m wide. Leaves ovate and 6–20 cm long. Capsule globe-shaped, 3–5 cm long.

Distinguishing features: Distinguished by dense, erect glandular hairs on stems; flowers white with green veins, 12–19 cm long, stigma well above anthers; capsule with numerous slender spines, all nearly the same length (to 1 cm long), capsule stalk bent sharply downwards; seeds brown, 4–5 mm long.

Dispersal: Spread by seed with some dispersal as cut root pieces.

Confused With: Other Datura species but no others in Australia have capsules on a downward curved stalk, hairy leaves and stems with glandular hairs.


Top: Hairy leaves are entire or shallowly
lobed
Bottom: Fruit stalks turn down, Moree, NSW
photos J.J.Dellow

Notes: Widely distributed weed of disturbed land. A weed of summer crops. All parts of the plant, particularly seeds, are toxic to livestock and humans. Rank smell and bitter taste usually deters stock from grazing plants.

References:

    Noxious Weeds of Australia. W. Parsons and E. Cuthbertson, 1992, pages 595–600.

Web References: Search Australian web sites for further information on this weed.

Datura metel
purple flower
photo J.J.Dellow
Hairy fruit with small spines
photo J.J.Dellow
Brown seeds
photo P.Abell
Juvenile
photo J.J.Dellow

This weed has been included in the WEEDeck field guide as card H58

More information about WEEDeck is available from Sainty & Associates Pty. Ltd.

 

Australia > > Downy Thornapple

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