Volume IV (1988) - Flora of New Zealand Naturalised Pteridophytes, Gymnosperms, Dicotyledons
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Datura L.

DATURA L.

Unarmed, annual or perennial herbs, or low subshrubs. Lvs alternate, simple, rather large, membranous, often hairy, at least when young, entire, toothed or lobed, petiolate. Fls tending to form leafy cymose infls, ± erect. Calyx 5-toothed but teeth often small, circumscissile. Corolla large, usually narrow- to broad-funnelform, plicate, white to purple, 5-toothed. Stamens 5, inserted near base of corolla tube, included to slightly exserted. Stigma 2-lobed. Capsule dehiscing by 4 valves, ± spinose, erect or pendent. Seeds many, of moderate to fairly large size, to 6 × 4.5 mm.

Key

1
Lobes of lf prominent with apices sharply acute or short-acuminate; fr. spines to 1 cm long, slender
Lobes of lf shallow with apices obtuse or subacute; fr. spines to 2.5 cm long, stout

c. 10 spp., mostly America but 1 in tropical Asia and 1 in Australia. Naturalised spp. 2.

D. inoxia Miller   subsp. quinquecuspida Barclay, moon flower, has become common in cultivation recently and seeds prolifically. It is easily recognisable by its finely downy habit, very large fls and pendent frs.

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