Datura is a genus of angiosperms under the family Solanaceae. Species of this genus are herbaceous, semi-shrub, shrub or small tree plants. There are about 16 species of this genus, most of which are distributed in tropical and subtropical regions and a few in temperate regions. The genus is currently wild or cultivated. The genus type species is Datura. The main characteristics of the genus is that the flowers are upright, slanting, or descending,
Datura morphological characteristics
All species of this genus have erect stems and bifidum branches. Leaves are alternate, petiolate. Flowers are large, often solitary in branches bifurcate or leaf axils, erect, slanting or pendulous. Calyx long tubular, tube 5-prismatic or cylindrical, close to corolla tube or expanded but not attached to corolla tube, 5-lobed or sparsely divided on one side at the same time, annular fracture from base slightly above and only part of persistent expansion or abscess from base completely. Corolla is usually long fundus or saucer-shaped, white, yellow or mauve, tube long, eaves with fold folds, 5-lobed, lobes often acuminate or sparsely between 2 lobes with a long cusp and 10 angular-shaped, folded and rotated in bud. Seeds are numerous, oblate.
Datura growth habit and growing environment and distribution
North America is the origin and distribution center of the genus Datura, with 11 species native to North America and 3 species originating from China and India. Most of the geographical distribution is in the tropical and subtropical areas, a few in the temperate zone. There are 4 species in China, which are distributed in the north and south provinces (regions). More wild in the fields, beside the ditch, road, river Banks, hillsides and other places.
Datura efficacy and role
The genus Scopolamine is a resource plant for the extraction of scopolamine and scopolamine. The whole plant of this genus is highly toxic, especially for fruit, followed by young leaves. It should be used with caution under the guidance of a doctor. Its leaves, flowers, seeds can be used as medicine, warm taste, drug analgesia anesthesia, cough and asthma. The cure is antiasthmatic, sore on the face, rectocele and rheumatism, hit injury, still can make anaesthesia. Datura is the main effective component of Hemp Boiling powder invented by Hua Tuo, a famous medical scientist in The Three Kingdoms period.
Datura Taxonomic study
A universal primer was designed based on the transcriptional interval sequence of the ribosome genes of Mandala, and ITS sequences of 33 plants of Mandala from different sources were obtained. The results showed that the ITS sequences of Datura and Mandala were identical in the test samples. The relationship between Datura, oak leaf Datura is close. There was no genetic distance between the four species of Purple Flower Datura, Datura and thornless Datura. In the Dutra subgenus of the genus Mandala in the traditional classification, except the two species of light mandala and heterochromatic mandala are relatively independent in ITS sequence, other kinds of genetic relationships are also relatively close. There is no difference between wetland Datura and Datura in ITS sequence.