Published In:
Species Plantarum 1: 179. 1753. (1 May 1753) ( Sp. Pl.)   
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(Last Modified On 6/2/2011)
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Acceptance
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Accepted
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(Last Modified On 6/3/2011)
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Contributor Text:
YASIN J. NASIR
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Flower/Fruit:
Fl. Per.: June-July.
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Type:
Type: Described from American, Hort. Cliff. 55/1 (BM).
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Distribution:
Distribution: In most temperate and subtropical regions of both the hemispheres.
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Comment/Acknowledgements:
The ‘thorn apple’ is a noxious weed found along roadsides and waste places from 914-2286 m. The plant parts, as in Atropa contain alkaloids as hyoscyamine, which have a powerful narcotic effect. The plant parts are also medicinal; being used in fevers, for worms, skin diseases, boils and indigestion (Dymock et al. Pharmcog. Ind. Reprint. edit. 2:584. 1891).
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Illustration:
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Map Location:
Chitral: A-6 Chapalli, 2400 m, Stamm & Wohrl 76 (W); B-6 Chitral Village, 5000', Stainton 3175 (E, BM); Chitral, 6.7.1974, E. J. Ecker s.n. (RAW); id., I.I. Chaudhri 195 (RAW); Drosh, Toppin 630 (K); Gilgit: A-7 Chenar Bagh, H. Jahan 88 (ISL); Khyber Agency: B, C-6 Kaddah Birak, Orakzai, Hafizullah et al 942 (ISL); B-7 Swat: Marghuzar, ± 4300', E. & Y. Nasir 7704 (RAW); Nawagai, H. Jahan 486 (ISL); Kashmir: Khai Gala, about villages, Jan. Mohd. 80 (RAW); Moyian Saidan, Muzaffarabad, H. Jahan 3558 (ISL); Bhimber, H. Jahan, Shahzad & Arif 1104 (ISL); Hazara Dist.: Abbottabad, Kazmi s.n. (RAW, PES); id., Inayat 19969 (RAW); Baragali, Kazmi 4685 (PES, RAW); below Kund, ± 7500', Y. & Nasir 7708 (BM); Balakot-Babusar, J. Abel 142 (BM); Malikpur, M. A. Siddiqi & Muqarrab Shah 895 (ISL); Thandikhoki, Shaukat Khan & Nasir Ahmed 498 ( ISL ); Baltistan: B-9 Turago-Bala, Skardu, H. Jahan 55 (ISL); Olding, H. Jahan 266 (ISL); Kiris-Kuru, Nasir & G. L. Webster 5899 (RAW); Skardu, 8000', R. R. Stewart 20395 (RAW). C-6 Kurram: Kurram vy., Harsukh 15415 (K); Shalizan, Aitchison 624 (K); id., M A. Siddiqi & Y. Nasir 6427 (RAW); C-7 Rawalpindi & Islamabad Dist.: Upper Topa, Aug. 1920, Barbour s.n. (BM); Rosenheim, Rodin 5371 (K, RAW); Lower Topa, M A. Siddiqi & Y. Nasir 6370 (RAW); above Tret, ± 4000', Y. Nasir & R. Akhtar 10977 (RAW); Murree hills, M.Z. Ahmed 41 (RAW); Margalla hills, M. A. Siddiqi & Y. Nasir 6623 (RAW); Baluchistan: D-4 Kuchlak, Farrukh Hussain & Dasti 155 (RAW); 31 miles from Chaman, Quetta rd., S. A. Farooqi 2348 (RAW); Forest Nursery, Quetta, Y. Nasir & Zaffar Ali 5899 (RAW); Qila Abdullah, in stones, Z. Ali 5708 (RAW); Loralai, M. Nath 2086 (RAW); Ziarat, H. Jahan 1372 (ISL).
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Plant 60-120 cm or more tall, branched, pubescent; the branches often purplish. Leaves 8-17 x 4-13 cm, ovate or broadly so, sinuately dentate, minutely puberulose, cuneate. Petiole 2-5 cm long. Calyx 3.5-5.5 cm long, tubular, 5-dentate, puberulous, persistent. Lobes 6-9 mm long, strongly reflexed in fruit, apiculate. Corolla 7-10 cm long, white or purplish suffused; limb up to 8 cm broad. shallowy 5-lobed, with the lobes, ± triangular-acuminate. Anthers ± 5 mm long, with the lobes narrow oblong, usually white. Capsule erect, 3-4 cm long, ovoid, spiny and densely pubescent, splitting by 4 valves; spines up to 5 mm long. Seeds 3 mm long, reniform, reticulate-foveolate, black.
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