Scientific Family
Solanaceae
Synonyms
Datura thomasii
Other common names
small datura
desert thorn apple
desert datura
desert thornapple
Plant type
Forbs and Subshrubs
Origin
Native
Lifecycle
Annual
Similar species
Datura wrightii
Height
To almost 5 feet
Riparian
Yes
Can be short-lived perennial. Upright or low-lying bushy plant; thick, grayish-green stems, hairy to smooth; triangular green leaves are foul-smelling; showy, white, fragrant trumpet-shaped flowers, distinct purple markings in the throat.
Wavy toothed leaf margins; flowers white, purple markings in the throat, less than 6 inches long; fruits sticky, droop downward, hairy. Similar to D. wrightii but plants generally smaller with smaller flowers and fewer spines on the fruit.
Habitat
Roadsides, waste grounds, drainage ditches, sandy, loose or gravelly soils of washes, river flats, river "bottoms" (low-lying land along a river) and wet, marshy areas at the edges of mountains, canyons and wet areas in grasslands (cienagas).
Plant Community
Riparian
Disturbed Areas
Low elevation
0
High elevation
2000
Flower Characteristics
Upright, fragrant, night-blooming, trumpet-shaped, solitary flowers to about 6 inches long. 4 inch wide white blooms have a purple-stained throat which widens at the top forming 10 sections each with a sharp, tapering point extending beyond the bloom.
Flower color
White, purple markings
Flower shape
Regular
Tubular
Yes
First bloom month
March
Last bloom month
October
Flower clusters
None
Leaf and Stem Characteristics
Leaves with stalks up to 7-1/2 inches long and 6 inches wide have a strongly wavy to toothed margin. Leaves are somewhat hairy on both upper and lower surfaces with short, soft hairs.
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf color
Green
Leaf shape
Triangular
Leaf margin
Toothed
Leaves clasp
No
Leaf hairs
Leaves & stems
Spines
No
Fruit and Seed Characteristics
Round sticky fruit to 1-1/2 inches wide which bends to 1 side and droops downward, has short, soft hairs and is covered with 200 to 300 large, sharp, thorn-like prickles to 1-1/4 inches long. Fruit splits along 4 seams to release seeds.
Fruit type
Capsule
Fruit color
Green to purple, ages brown
Seeds are black when ripe, have a wrinkled surface, are kidney-shaped and about an 1/8 inch long. Fresh seeds have a small, white bump on 1 side which is called a "caruncle".