Table of Contents
Datura is a genus of highly poisonous flowering plants that belong to the family Solanaceae. They are commonly known as jimson weeds, thornapples and devil’s trumpets. The seeds and flowers of the genus are highly poisonous and cause conditions such as arrhythmia, fever, respiratory depression, delirium, hallucinations, psychosis and even death.
Classification
|
Kingdom |
Plantae |
|---|---|
|
Division |
Tracheophyta |
|
Class |
Magnoliopsida |
|
Order |
Solanales |
|
Family |
Solanaceae |
|
Genus |
Datura |
Morphology
Datura is a herbaceous and short-lived perennial plant. They can grow upto a height of 2 metres. The leaves are borne alternately, they are 10-20 cm in length, 5-18 cm in width and are lobed with toothed margins.
Daturas, along with other species such as Atropa belladonna, Hyoscyamus niger and Mandragora officinarum, are referred to as witches’ weeds. All the parts of the genus are toxic and have been used for potions, magical ointments and witches’ brews. The species Datura stramonium is most commonly used.
Parts of the Flower
The flowers of Datura are erect, trumpet-shaped, 5-20 cm in length and 4-12 cm broad at the mouth. It varies in colours such as yellow and pale purple. The fruit is a spiny capsule that is about 4-10 cm in length and 2-6 cm in width. The fruit ripens and opens to release a number of seeds.
The inflorescence in the flower is a dichasial cyme. The flowers are solitary, erect, shortly pedicellate and arise from the stems.
Calyx: It is a group of sepals that form a pale-green tube-like structure with a broad base having 5 ridge projections over the midrib. The tube measures 2-3 cm in length, the lobes are triangular and measure about 10mm in size. The aestivation of the sepals is valvate. The calyx is a fugacious part, meaning it disappears after opening of the flower. They leave a short, persistent and saucer-shaped part behind.
Corolla: The petals in corolla are white, slender and funnel-shaped. The tubular part is 4-5 cm long, projects beyond the calyx slowly increasing in diameter to form lobes that are rounded and triangular in shape. The petals are long, thin, acuminate, folded and have a filiform tip. The aestivation is plicate and twisted and the corolla is fugacious as well.
Androecium: The free filaments of the stamen are about 17-25 mm long and the adherent filaments are 20-25 mm long. The anthers are long, basifixed, and dehisce laterally along two longitudinal splits.
Gynoecium: The ovary is rounded and pyramidal. The widest part of the ovary is covered by erect spines. The ovary is bilocular in the upper portion and quadrilocular in the lower portion because of the development of a false septa. The placentation is axile and ovules are numerous. The style arises from the ovary, increases in diameter towards the apex and terminates in an ovoid, bilateral and capitate stigma.
Fruit: The fruit is 3-3.5 cm in length and is covered by persistent remains of the calyx. The entire fruit has numerous, unequal rigid and sharp spines over it.
Visit BYJU’S Biology for more information.
Also Read:
- Floral Formula of Solanaceae
- Differentiate between Fabaceae, Solanaceae and Liliaceae
- Difference between Convolvulaceae and Solanaceae
- Three Locally Available Common Flowering Plants
