entire-leaved thorn-apple

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• entire-leaved thorn-apple
• Fireweed
• Hindu datura
• Hindu thorn-apple
• downy thorn-apple
• hoary thorn-apple
• horn-of-plenty
• metel
• purple thorn-apple

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Stramonium fastuosum
• Stramonium metel
• Datura metel var. fastuosa
• Datura metel var. muricata
• Datura metel var. rubra
• Datura waymanii
• Brugmansia chlorantha
• Datura metel var. flaviflora
• Datura hummatu var. rubra
• Datura chlorantha atroviolacea-plenissima
• Datura chlorantha
• Datura bojeri
• Datura alba var. africana
• Datura aegyptiaca
• Datura cornucopia
• Datura dubia
• Datura dubia
• Datura fastuosa
• Datura fastuosa var. alba
• Datura fastuosa var. flaviflora
• Datura fruticosa
• Datura humilis
• Datura metel var. dentata
• Datura metel f. pleniflora
• Datura muricata
• Datura nanakii
• Datura nigra
• Datura nilhummatu
• Datura timoriensis
• Datura trapezia
• Datura cornucopaea
• Datura metel var. obscura
• Datura fastuosa var. glabra
• Datura fastuosa var. parviflora
• Datura fastuosa var. rubra
• Datura fastuosa var. tuberculata
• Brugmansia waymanii
• Datura hummatu var. muricata

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. Within the order Solanales and the family Solanaceae, it is classified under the genus Datura. Specifically, Datura metel represents a distinct species within this botanical hierarchy.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a broad geographical distribution that spans across multiple continents and diverse climates. In Middle Europe, its presence can be noted within the borders of Germany. Moving toward the Mediterranean, it is found in Southwestern Europe, specifically on the island of Sardegna. The species also extends into Eastern Europe, where it grows throughout South European Russia. Finally, its range reaches into Northern Africa, with documented occurrences in both Algeria and Egypt.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Datura metel is characterized by its ability to thrive in anthropogenic areas (Área Antrópica), where it often colonizes disturbed soils and human-influenced landscapes. This species exhibits a broad vertical distribution across various landscapes, with an elevational range starting from sea level (0 m AMSL) and extending up to a maximum of 1000 m AMSL. Based on recorded environmental data, the plant maintains a mean elevation of approximately 1200 m AMSL, reflecting its adaptability to diverse altitudinal gradients within its preferred habitats.

Elevational range max:

1000 m AMSL

Elevational range mean:

1200 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Habitat :

Área Antrópica

Genetics

The genetics of Datura metel are characterized by specific chromosomal configurations and varying levels of genomic complexity. The species exhibits a chromosome number of 24, 48, indicating a capacity for both diploidy and polyploidy within different populations or developmental stages. Regarding its genomic structure, the plant primarily functions at a ploidy level of 2, signifying its diploid nature, which serves as the foundational genetic baseline for its inheritance patterns and morphological expression.

Chromosome number :

24,48

Ploidy :

2

Life history

The life history of Datura metel is characterized by an annual lifecycle, meaning the plant completes its entire developmental process—from germination to seed production—within a single growing season. In terms of its ecological life form, it is classified as a therophyte, a strategy where the plant survives unfavorable environmental conditions primarily through resistant seeds that remain dormant in the soil until favorable conditions return. This life form is consistent across its growth stages, as it functions as a therophyte that relies on a rapid reproductive cycle to ensure species continuity before the onset of seasonal changes.

Life form :

therophyte

Lifecycle :

annual

Morphology

The morphology of Datura metel is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody herb, functioning as a self-supporting plant rather than a climber or vine. It is an independent species that does not exhibit parasitic behavior and thrives in terrestrial environments, lacking any aquatic, semiaquatic, or epiphytic tendencies. The plant displays significant variability in its stature, with heights ranging from a minimum of 0.3 m to a maximum of 2 m, maintaining an average height of approximately 1.23 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

2 m

Plant height mean:

1.23333333333333 m

Plant height min:

0.3 m

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Datura metel is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, which dictates its carbon fixation processes and metabolic efficiency. The vegetative structure exhibits significant morphological variation in its foliage, with leaf lengths ranging from a minimum of 5 cm to a mean of 12.5 cm, reaching a maximum of 20 cm. Correspondingly, the leaf width fluctuates between a minimum of 3 cm and a maximum of 16 cm, reflecting the plant's capacity for surface area expansion to facilitate gas exchange and light interception. Furthermore, the plant does not function as a nitrogen fixer, meaning it relies on the uptake of available nitrogen from the soil rather than through symbiotic nitrogen-fixing bacteria.

Leaf length max:

20 cm

Leaf length mean:

12.5 cm

Leaf length min:

5 cm

Leaf width max:

16 cm

Leaf width min:

3 cm

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Datura metel is characterized by a diverse flowering period that can occur throughout most of the year, typically starting in December and concluding around October, though the timing remains variable. The plant produces violet-colored flowers that utilize a biotic pollination syndrome, specifically relying on insects to facilitate the transfer of pollen. Self-fertilization is present within the species, ensuring reproductive success even in the absence of certain pollinators. Following successful pollination, the plant develops a capsule-type fruit, which maintains a consistent length of approximately 3 cm. These fruits are dehiscent, meaning they split open at maturity to release the seeds. The seeds themselves are quite small, with a maximum length of 4 mm and a maximum width of 3 mm. In terms of mass, the seeds typically average about 0.0116 g, with individual seed masses ranging from a minimum of 0.00769 g to a maximum of 0.0141 g. Once released, the seeds are dispersed via an anemochorous syndrome, utilizing wind as the primary mechanism for spreading to new locations.

Dehiscence :

dehiscent

Dispersal syndrome :

anemochorous

Flower colour :

violet

Flowering time :

Dec

Flowering time :

Oct

Fruit length max:

3 cm

Fruit type :

capsule

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Seed length max:

4 mm

Seed mass max:

0.0141 g

Seed mass mean:

0.0116466665 g

Seed mass min:

0.00769 g

Seed width max:

3 mm

Self fertilization :

present

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Datura metel has 6 reported plant parts identified across 23 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include flower, seed, leaf, stem, root.

Flower

1. Bulletin de la Societe de pathologie exotique (1990)
2. BioMed research international
3. Biological & pharmaceutical bulletin
4. Journal of pineal research
5. Journal of natural products

Seed

1. Bulletin de la Societe de pathologie exotique (1990)
2. BioMed research international
3. Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences
4. Biological & pharmaceutical bulletin
5. Data in brief

Leaf

1. BioMed research international
2. 3 Biotech
3. Biological & pharmaceutical bulletin
4. Data in brief
5. Zhong yao cai = Zhongyaocai = Journal of Chinese medicinal materials

Stem

1. BioMed research international
2. Planta medica
3. Zhong yao cai = Zhongyaocai = Journal of Chinese medicinal materials

Root

1. BioMed research international
2. Planta medica

Fruit

1. Journal of pineal research

Chemicals

Datura metel has 42 reported phytochemicals identified across 23 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include scopolamine, hyoscyamine, ATROPINE, Flavonoids, Tannins.

scopolamine

1. Dr. Duke
2. Biological & pharmaceutical bulletin
3. Journal of ethnopharmacology
4. Yakugaku zasshi : Journal of the Pharmaceutical Society of Japan
5. Planta medica

hyoscyamine

1. Dr. Duke
2. Biological & pharmaceutical bulletin
3. Yakugaku zasshi : Journal of the Pharmaceutical Society of Japan
4. Planta medica

ATROPINE

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology
3. Drug and chemical toxicology

Flavonoids

1. BioMed research international
2. African journal of traditional, complementary, and alternative medicines : AJTCAM
3. Data in brief

Tannins

1. BioMed research international
2. Data in brief
3. Histochemistry

Hyoscine

1. Dr. Duke
2. African journal of medicine and medical sciences

Withanolides

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Journal of natural products

3alpha,6beta-Ditigloyloxytropan-7beta-ol

1. Dr. Duke

3alpha,6beta-Ditigloyloxytropane

1. Dr. Duke

3alpha-acetoxytropane

1. Dr. Duke

Activities

Datura metel has 193 reported activities identified across 23 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antibacterial, Antioxidant, Analgesic, Anticholinergic, Antipyretic.

Antibacterial

1. Dr. Duke
2. 3 Biotech
3. Data in brief

Antioxidant

1. Dr. Duke
2. 3 Biotech
3. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Analgesic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Data in brief

Anticholinergic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Antipyretic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Data in brief

Antispasmodic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Data in brief

5-Alpha-Reductase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Acidulant

1. Dr. Duke

Aldose-Reductase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Allergenic

1. Dr. Duke

Medicinal Uses

Datura metel has 20 reported medicinal uses identified across 23 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include Acinetobacter baumannii, Aspergillus fumigatus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Parkinson's disease, Salmonella typhi.

Most Reported Uses

Preparations