Vascular Plants of the Gila Wilderness

Presented in Association with the
Western New Mexico University Department of Natural Sciences

Datura quercifolia Kunth
(Oak Leaf Thorn Apple)


Family: Solanaceae

Synonyms:
Datura ferox auct. non L.

Datura quercifolia is a plant of dry hillsides, plains, and disturbed areas. It has lobed leaves that mimic to some extent the look of the Gambel Oak leaf. The white flowers are similar to those of Datura wrightii when fresh, turning more purplish with age. The fruit are thorny. The two celled ovary develops into a four chambered capsule that opens from the top into the four chambers containing the black seeds. The seeds are shaped remarkably like a human brain complete with temporal lobe and sulci.
Please click on an image for a larger file.



Datura quercifolia, photo Debbie Bird, Silver City



Datura quercifolia, fruit, photo Debbie Bird, Silver City



Datura quercifolia, open capsule with seeds, photo Russ Kleinman, McKinney Road, Tyrone, Jan. 2, 2009



Datura quercifolia, 1x macro of seeds, photo Russ Kleinman, McKinney Road, Tyrone, Jan. 2, 2009



Datura quercifolia, 3x macro of seeds, photo Russ Kleinman, McKinney Road, Tyrone, Jan. 2, 2009



Datura quercifolia, flower (much shorter corolla than that of D. wrightii), photo Russ Kleinman & Bill Norris, Silver City, October 4, 2009


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