Brugmansia Pers.

Solanaceae, Jennifer M Edmonds. Oliganthes, Melongena & Monodolichopus, Maria S. Vorontsova & Sandra Knapp. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 2012

Morphology General Habit

Small trees or shrubs

Morphology Leaves

Leaves alternate, glabrous to pubescent, hairs eglandular

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers usually solitary, occasionally in short monochasial cymes, pendulous or nodding, usually fragrant, opening diurnally and remaining open during anthesis; pedicels elongating during fruiting

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx elongate and tubular, usually enclosing the lower half of the corolla, often zygomorphic, five-dentate or spatulate through splitting irregularly on one side, not circumscissile, often persistent

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla tubular below becoming funnel- or trumpet-shaped above; tube long and slender, the lobes fused almost to the apex where the margins 5–10-toothed with the lobes often recurved, each with three prominent veins and the teeth cuspidate or caudate

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens usually inserted mid-way on corolla tube and alternating with lobes, included; filaments glabrous above, villous from point of adnation where broadest, tapering towards base and anthers, becoming pilose below; anthers linear, basifixed, villous, free or connivent

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary

Ovary superior, glabrous, bilocular; style long, filiform, usually exserted beyond anthers but included; stigma ovoid to ellipsoid, clasping the apical part of style and appearing bilobed in profile

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit a large, smooth berry, indehiscent, usually enclosed by calyx remnants; fruiting pedicels elongated

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds numerous, large often triangular, irregular or subreniform, with a thick (suberose) corky testa; caruncle absent.

Note

As they contain tropane alkaloids, Brugmansias are widely used for their potent psychotic and medicinal properties in South America. They have often been included as a section of the genus Datura L., but most authors now consider Brugmansia to be generically distinct ( cf. Lockwood, 1973; Persson et al., 1999). The plants are commonly known as Floripondios or Tree Daturas in the Americas, as Angel’s Trumpets in Europe and as Moonflowers in Africa. Fruits are rare in Africa; the plants are self-incompatible and pollinated by hummingbirds or moths in their native habitat. A genus in which 5 to 14 species have been variously described, though recent work suggests that the true number lies between six ( cf. Hunziker, 2001) and eight ( cf. Persson et al., 1999). They are all native to disturbed habitats in Andean South America but have been widely planted as ornamentals and hedging plants in many tropical and subtropical parts of the world. Some of the species are considered to be natural hybrids and there are many races and cultivars. Indeed, although the group originated in north-west South America, some authors now consider that the species no longer occur in the wild and should all be considered as cultigens (eg: Bristol, Bot. Mus., Leafl.: 229–248 (1966)).