desert thorn-apple

Datura discolor Bernh.

Datura discolor, known as desert thorn-apple, is an herbaceous annual plant native to the Sonoran Desert in western North America. It thrives in sandy soils and washes. The species is distributed across Arizona, California, Colorado, and parts of Mexico and Central America. First described in 1833 by Bernh., it belongs to the nightshade family, Solanaceae.

Description

Datura discolor is an annual plant found in arid regions, particularly in the Sonoran Desert. It is toxic, as all parts of the plant contain a mixture of alkaloids that can be lethal if ingested in sufficient quantities. The plant is part of the genus Datura and is widely distributed in the southwestern United States and northern Mexico.

Other common names

desert thorn-apple

Distribution

Arizona · California · Colorado · Honduras · India · Mexico Central · Mexico Gulf · Mexico Northeast · Mexico Northwest · Mexico Southeast · Mexico Southwest · Archipiélago de Cuba