Datura metel L., Solanaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Risk assessment results:  Reject, score: 21 (Go to the risk assessment)

Other Latin names:  Datura alba Nees; Datura chlorantha Hook.; Datura fastuosa L.

Common name(s): [more details]

Chinese: yang jin hua

English: Devil's trumpet, Hindu datura, Hindu thorn-apple, cornucopia, datura, downy thorn-apple, hoary thorn-apple, horn-of-plenty, jimson weed, metel, purple thorn-apple, thorn apple

I-Kiribati: te uri ni tiana

Japanese: hime-togarasi

Korean: huindogmalpul

Maori (Cook Islands): pūāve, rākau pāoro-rōuru, rākau pōnikarāpu

Niuean: hiapo

Spanish: burladora

Tahitian: puaoe

Habit:  shrub

Description:  "Annual herbs, to 1.5 m tall, glabrescent, hairs eglandular; stems often dark violet. Leaves ovate or broadly ovate, 5-20 cm long, 4-l5 cm wide, membranous, apically acute or acuminate, basally truncate or cuneate, often asymmetrical, irregularly sinuate-dentate, lobed, occasionally entire, glabrate; petiole 2-6 cm long. Pedicel erect or pendulous, ca. 1 cm long. Flowers with calyx tubular, 4-9 cm long; corolla white, yellowish, or pale purple, funnelform, sometimes doubled or tripled, 8-20 cm long, the limb 5-10 cm across, the lobes mostly 5, elongate; anthers 9-12 mm long. Capsules deflexed, subglobose, 3 cm across, tuberculate, subtended by remnants of the persistent calyx base; seeds pale brown, reniform-discoid, 3-5 mm across"  (Digital Flora of Taiwan).

"Shrub to 1.5 m high or more.  Leaves simple, alternate, blade usually ovate, 7-25 cm long with toothed margins.  Flowers anytime during the year; flowers solitary, axillary.  Corolla with fused petals, funnel-shaped, shallowly five-lobed at the end, sometimes double-flowered, usually 13-20 cm long and purple on the outside and pale lavender to white inside, rarely white, blue, red, or yellow.  Fruit a green subglobose capsule 3-4 cm long, covered with short, blunt spines"  (Wagner, 2000; pp. 174-175).

Habitat/ecology:  In Hawai‘i, "occasionally cultivated and sparingly naturalized in low elevation, open, dry, disturbed areas" (Wagner et al., 1999; pp. 1255-1256).  In Fiji, "sometimes cultivated but also naturalized as a weed of waste places and sandy beaches" (Smith, 1991; p. 32).  In Niue, "a fairly common plant in all the villages.  It seeds prolifically and is really semi-adventive in some places, the seed germinating and the resulting plants being allowed to grow unattended" (Sykes, 1970; p. 194).

Propagation:  Seed

Native range:  Central America (Wagner et al., 1999; pp. 1255, 1256). Possible origin West Indies; widely cultivated in the tropics and sometimes naturalized (GRIN).

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Agrigan (Agrihan) Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 244)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Agrigan (Agrihan) Island	introduced cultivated	Fosberg, F. R./Falanruw, M. V. C./Sachet, M.-H. (1975) (p. 39) Voucher cited: Fosberg 31566 (US) Single plant in garden.
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Saipan	Saipan Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 244)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Ma‘uke Island		McCormack, Gerald (2013)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Miti‘aro Island		McCormack, Gerald (2013)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Isabela Group	Isabela Island	introduced cultivated	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Isabela Group	Volcán Sierra Negra, Isabela Island	introduced cultivated	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Santa Cruz Group	Santa Cruz Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)
Federated States of Micronesia Pohnpei Islands	Pohnpei Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 244)
Federated States of Micronesia Pohnpei Islands	Pohnpei Island	introduced	Glassman, S. F. (1952) (p. 99)
Federated States of Micronesia Pohnpei Islands	Pohnpei Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Herrera, Katherine/Lorence, David H./Flynn, Timothy/Balick, Michael J. (2010) (p. 137) Naturalized
Fiji Fiji Islands	Kandavu Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Smith, Albert C. (1991) (p. 32) Voucher cited: Smith 296
Fiji Fiji Islands	Vanua Levu Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Smith, Albert C. (1991) (p. 32) Voucher cited: DA L.11635
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Smith, Albert C. (1991) (p. 32) Vouchers cited: Greenwood 354, DA 5619, DA 5595, DA 16778
Fiji Fiji Islands	Yasawas Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Smith, Albert C. (1991) (p. 32) Voucher cited: DA 13654
French Polynesia Gambier Islands	Mangareva (Gambier) Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Naturalisée
French Polynesia Gambier Islands	Mangareva (Gambier) Island	introduced cultivated	St. John, Harold (1988) (p. 23) Vouchers cited: Fosberg 11062 (BISH), Fosberg 11063 (BISH)
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Fatu Hiva Island	introduced cultivated	Lorence, David H./Wagner, Warren L. (2013)
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Hiva Oa Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Naturalisée
French Polynesia Society Islands	Maupiti (Maurua) Island	introduced	Welsh, S. L. (1998) (p. 271)
French Polynesia Society Islands	Raiatea (Havai) Island	introduced	Welsh, S. L. (1998) (p. 271) Voucher cited: Moore 730
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island	introduced	Welsh, S. L. (1998) (p. 271)
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Voucher cited: J. Florence 4021 (PAP) Naturalisée
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tupai Island	introduced	Welsh, S. L. (1998) (p. 271) Voucher cited: Grant 4553
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tupai Island	introduced	Sachet, M.-H. (1983) (p. 22) Voucher cited: Grant 4553 (BISH)
French Polynesia Tuamotu Archipelago	Makatea (Ma‘atea) Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Naturalisée
French Polynesia Austral (Tubuai) Islands	Raivavae (Raevavae) Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Naturalisée
French Polynesia Austral (Tubuai) Islands	Rimatara (Rimitara) Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Naturalisée
French Polynesia Austral (Tubuai) Islands	Rurutu Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Naturalisée
French Polynesia Austral (Tubuai) Islands	Tubuai Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Naturalisée
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island	introduced cultivated	Stone, Benjamin C. (1970) (pp. 517-518)
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 244) Cultivated?
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Hawai‘i (Big) Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (pp. 1255, 1257) Sparingly naturalized.
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Maui Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (pp. 1255, 1257) Sparingly naturalized.
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Moloka‘i Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (pp. 1255, 1257) Sparingly naturalized.
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	O‘ahu Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (pp. 1255, 1257) Sparingly naturalized.
Kiribati Tungaru (Gilbert) Islands	Abaiang Atoll	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 244)
Kiribati Tungaru (Gilbert) Islands	Abemama Atoll	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Imada, Clyde T. (2004) (p. 9) Voucher: Imada 2003-169 (BISH 697780)
Kiribati Tungaru (Gilbert) Islands	Butaritari Atoll	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 244)
Kiribati Tungaru (Gilbert) Islands	Tamana Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 244)
Kiribati Tungaru (Gilbert) Islands	Tarawa Atoll	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 244)
Kiribati Tungaru (Gilbert) Islands	Tarawa Atoll	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Imada, Clyde T. (2004) (p. 9) Voucher: Imada 2003-33 (BISH 697648)
Marshall Islands Ratak Chain	Arno Atoll	introduced cultivated	Vander Velde, Nancy/Vander Velde, Brian (2007) (p. 4) Growing in a private garden of Ine village.
Nauru Nauru Island	Nauru Island	introduced cultivated	Thaman, R. R./Fosberg, F. R./Manner, H. I./Hassall, D. C. (1994) (p. 198)
New Caledonia New Caledonia Archipelago	Île Grande Terre	introduced invasive cultivated	MacKee, H. S. (1994) (p. 130) Vouchers cited: Däniker 137 (Z), Baumann 11043, MacKee 28600 Spontané
Niue Niue	Niue Island	introduced	Sykes, W. R. (1970) (p. 194) Vouchers cited: CHR 170257, CHR 170259
Niue Niue	Niue Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Yuncker, T. G. (1943) (p. 106) Vouchers cited: Yuncker 9684 (BISH), Yuncker 10160 (BISH) "Occasional in waste areas".
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Angaur (Ngeaur) Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 244)
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Babeldaob Island	introduced cultivated	Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara/Miles, Joel E./Tiobech, Joseph/Rengulbai, Kashgar (2003) (p. 101)
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Malakal (Ngemelachel) Island	introduced cultivated	Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara/Miles, Joel E./Tiobech, Joseph/Rengulbai, Kashgar (2003) (p. 97)
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Ngercheu Island	introduced cultivated	Space, James C./Lorence, David H./LaRosa, Anne Marie (2009) (pp. 8, 14) Carp Resort
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Peleliu (Beliliou) Island	introduced cultivated	Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara/Miles, Joel E./Tiobech, Joseph/Rengulbai, Kashgar (2003) (p. 106)
Papua New Guinea Bismarck Archipelago	Bismarck Archipelago	cultivated	Peekel, P. G. [translated by E. E. Henty] (1984) (pp. 498-500) Sporadic near habitations, also planted in gardens.
Philippines Philippine Islands	Philippine Islands		Merrill, Elmer D. (1923) (p. 430) In open waste places in and about settlements, sometimes planted.

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Australia Australia (continental)	Australia (continental)		Holm, Leroy/Pancho, Juan V./Herberger, James P./Plucknett, Donald L. (1979) (p. 120)
China China	China (People's Republic of)	introduced invasive cultivated	Zhengyi, Wu/Raven, Peter H./Deyuan, Hong (2013) Grassy and sunny slopes, near houses, also commonly cultivated in many cities; 1200-2100 m. Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hainan, Yunnan.
China China	Hong Kong	native	Wu, Te-lin (2001) (pp. 217-218) In wasteland along roadside or near villages.
Japan Japan	Japan	introduced	Mito, Toshikazu/Uesugi, Tetsuro (2004) (p. 188)
Singapore Singapore	Singapore (Republic of)	introduced cultivated	Chong, Kwek Yan/Tan, Hugh T. W./Corlett, Richard T. (2009) (p. 32) Cultivated only
Taiwan Taiwan Island	Taiwan Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Zhengyi, Wu/Raven, Peter H./Deyuan, Hong (2013)
Taiwan Taiwan Island	Taiwan Island	introduced invasive	Ching-I Peng, ed. (2013) "A rarely collected weed".
Thailand Thailand	Thailand (Kingdom of)		Holm, Leroy/Pancho, Juan V./Herberger, James P./Plucknett, Donald L. (1979) (p. 120)

Indian Ocean
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Australia (Indian Ocean offshore islands) Christmas Island Group	Christmas Island	native	Orchard, Anthony E., ed. (1993) (p. 19)
Maldives Maldive Islands	Malè Atoll		Fosberg, F. R. (1957) (p. 32) "Spontaneous in waste places". Voucher cited: Fosberg 36842 (US)
Mauritius Mautitius Islands (Mauritius and Rodrigues)	Mauritius Island		Holm, Leroy/Pancho, Juan V./Herberger, James P./Plucknett, Donald L. (1979) (p. 120)
French Territory of Mayotte Mayotte Islands	Mayotte Island	introduced invasive	Comité français de l'Union Internationale pour la Conservation de la Nature en France (2013) Envahissant principalement dans les milieux perturbés.
Seychelles Seychelles Islands	Agalega Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Stoddart, D. R. (1983) (p. 137) Voucher cited: Stoddart 7260 (US)
Seychelles Seychelles Islands	Coetivy Island		Robertson, S. A./Fosberg, F. R. (1983) (p. 155) Voucher cited: Robertson 3142 (K)
Seychelles Seychelles Islands	Cousin Island	introduced invasive	Fosberg, F. R. (1983) (p. 32) Voucher cited: Fosberg 52190 (US)
Seychelles Seychelles Islands	Desnoeufs Island		Wilson, J. R. (1983) (p. 210)
Seychelles Seychelles Islands	Frégate Island		Robertson, S. A./Todd, D. M. (1983) (p. 61) Voucher cited: Robertson 2730
Seychelles Seychelles Islands	Marie-Louise Island		Wilson, J. R. (1983) (p. 195)
Seychelles Seychelles Islands	Platte Island		Robertson, S. A./Fosberg, F. R. (1983) (p. 163) Voucher cited: Robertson 3043 (K)
Seychelles Seychelles Islands	Poivre Island		Robertson, S. A./Fosberg, F. R. (1983) (p. 174) Voucher cited: Robertson 2336 (K)
Seychelles Seychelles Islands	Seychelles Islands	introduced	Invasive Species Specialist Group (2017)

Comments:  Recorded from Butaritari, Kiribati, by Fosberg et al. (1979; p. 244) but not seen by Space & Imada (2004).

Control:  If you know of control methods for Datura metel, please let us know.