Datura metel

Datura metel
	; ; 'Fastulosa'
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae;
(unranked):	Angiosperms;
(unranked):	Eudicots;
(unranked):	Asterids;
Order:	Solanales;
Family:	Solanaceae;
Genus:	Datura;
Species:	D. metel;
Binomial name
	Datura metel; L.

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Datura metel, commonly known as Angel's Trumpet, Devil's trumpet, metel, downy thorn-apple and, along with Datura stramonium, zombie cucumber. Datura metel is a shrub-like perennial herb.

Datura metel grows in the wild in all the warmer parts of the world, and is cultivated worldwide for its chemical and ornamental properties. It was first described by Linnaeus in 1753, but no botanically correct illustrations or descriptions were made until after the New World was settled. It is not possible to be sure about its original home.^[1]

The plant is an annual herb growing up to 3 ft. high. It is slightly furry, with dark violet shoots and oval to broad oval leaves that are often dark violet as well. The pleasantly-scented 6-8 in. flowers are immensely varied, and can be single or double. Colors range from white to cream, yellow, red, and violet. The seed capsule is covered with numerous conical humps and a few spines.^[1]. It is similar to D. inoxia, but D. metel has almost glabrous leaves and fruits that are knobby, not spiny. D. inoxia is pilose all over and has a spiny fruit.

[edit] Medicinal use

D. metel is one of the 50 fundamental herbs used in traditional Chinese medicine, where it is called yáng jīn huā (洋金花). The leaves or juice of it if consumed make the person dumb (unable to speak). The dry flower, particularly the violet coloured, if rolled and used like cigar, will help to relieve the asthma or wheezing like symptoms^{[citation needed]}.

[edit] Toxicity

All parts of Datura plants contain dangerous levels of poison and may be fatal if ingested by humans or other animals, including livestock and pets. Some municipalities prohibit the purchase, sale, or cultivation of Datura plants.^[1]

Datura metel may be toxic if ingested in any quantity, symptomatically expressed as flushed skin, headaches, hallucinations, and possibly convulsions or even a coma. The principal toxic elements are tropane alkaloids. Accidentally (or intentionally) ingesting even a single leaf could lead to severe side effects.

[edit] Black daturas (Datura metel 'Fastuosa')

A cultivar of D. metel with a polished-looking ebony-black stem exists as a garden plant. Its flowers normally have a double or triple corolla, each corolla having a deep purple exterior and white or off-white interior. The plant is already reported to have become naturalised in Israel (see illustration). The black cultivar might become a common roadside dweller, like its white-flowered ancestor.

It is known under several cultivar names as; 'Black', 'Blackcurrant Swirl', 'Cornucopaea', 'Double Blackcurrant Swirl', 'Double Purple', 'Purple Hindu'. It has also received many scientific names which should not be used for a cultivar: