Thorn Apple
Datura, a genus of plants of the natural order Solanaceæ, having a tubular five-cleft calyx, a large funnel-shaped five-lobed corolla, and an imperfectly four-celled, prickly, or unarmed capsule. The species of this genus are annual herbaceous plants, rarely shrubs or trees; they are in general narcotic, and productive of wild excitement or delirium. The common thornapple, or stramonium (D. stramonium), is an annual plant, with smooth stem and leaves, white flowers, and erect prickly capsules, a native of the East Indies, but now often met with in Europe, as also in Asia, the N. of Africa, and North America. It contains a peculiar alkaloid, daturine, which is practically identical in its action with atropine. The leaves and seeds are employed in medicine. A variety with pale violet flowers and purplish violet stem is frequently cultivated in gardens as an ornamental plant. THORN APPLE Still more narcotic is the soft-haired thorn apple (D. metel), a native of the S. of Asia and of Africa. The Thugs of India employed it in order to stupefy their victims, or, in other cases, to poison them outright. From its seeds, along with opium, hemp, and certain spices, a strong intoxicating substance is prepared, which the Mohammedans of India use in order to produce in themselves a state of exhilaration. The use of it destroys the constitution. D. tatula, another Indian species, has similar properties. D. sanguinea, the red thorn apple of Peru, is used by the Indians to prepare a very powerful narcotic drink called tonga, which stupefies when very diluted, and when strong brings on ma- THORNE niacal excitement. The beautiful D. fastuosa has flowers externally of a violet color, and white within, and is cultivated as an ornamental plant, especially a variety with what are called double flowers, which consist rather of two corollas, one within the other. D. arborea, a native of Peru and Colombia, is cultivated in flower gardens in Europe. It has pendulous white flowers, 9 to 12 inches long, which diffuse a sweet smell at night.