General Information

COMMON NAMES: Angel's-Trumpet, Trumpet Flower; German Englestrompete GLOBAL DISTRIBUTION: NATIVE Andes (Colombia - Chile) COOK ISLANDS STATUS: Introduced - Recent, spreads vegetatively; S.Group - uncommon; N.Group - absent; Land, lowlands, gardens SIGNIFICANCE LIST: Ornamental flowers; Poisonous - very serious KEY FEATURES: To 4m. LEAVES alternate, large and oval, to 30x15cm, glabrous, edge smooth or 1-few teeth, tip sharp, base often very uneven; stalk to 10cm. FLOWERS in axils, nocturally fragrant, semi-pendent, massive to 30cm, white (sometimes yellow or pink) with 1-2 fringes; tube slender-section protrudes beyond green calyx which has (3-)5 teeth, tube flares into lobes to 5cm; anthers 5 fused. SIMILAR SPECIES: Brugmansia X candida has furry leaves (vs glabrous); flowers pendant (vs. semi-pendant); calyx 1-2 teeth (vs 3-5 teeth), calyx hides slender part of corolla tube (vs. not hidden); and anthers separate (vs. fused together).

Cook Islands Distribution

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Southern Group: Present    Makatea: Present
RR	MG	AT	MK	MT	AK	PL	TK	MN
++	+	-				-	-	-

Northern Group:
TN	MH	RK	PK	NS	SW
-	-	-	-	-	-

Brugmansia suaveolens (Hump. & Bonpl. ex Willd.)
SYNONYMS: Datura suaveolens; Datura arborea [sensu GW]

TAXONOMY: PLANTAE; ANTHOPHYTA (=Angiospermae); MAGNOLIOPSIDA (=Dicotyledones); ASTERIDAE; Solanales; SOLANACEAE

SIGNIFICANCE NOTES -
POSITIVE SIGNIFICANCE: Ornamental flowers
NEGATIVE SIGNIFICANCE: Poisonous - very serious. Comments: All parts very toxic - see General Note. Mild invasive spreading vegetatively (as in upper Avatiu Valley)

GENERAL NOTE: All parts Brugmansia spp. and Datura spp. are dangerously toxic able to cause extreme hallucinations, delirium and death. The active ingredients are the primary tropane alkaloids scopolamine, atropine and hyoscyamine. These chemicals are fat soluble and readily absorbed through the mucous membranes and even through the skin. Handle with extreme care. The Louisiana Poison Control Center [www.lapcc.org] says in severe cases the "patient exhibits all of the classic findings of anticholinergic poisoning: Red as a Beet; Hot as a Hare; Blind as a Bat; Dry as a Bone; and Mad as a Hatter. Although frequently mistaken for cocaine or amphetamine overdose, the absolute lack of sweating and the very large, dilated pupils are always present. Tachycardia and urinary retention are also very common findings (Fast as a Cat and Full as a Tick). Besides general supportive care, physostigmine is the treatment of choice for severe anticholinergic poisoning as seen with ingestion of these plants or large antihistamine overdoses."

Vouchers:
None Recorded.

References:
p.749 Neal - In Gardens of Hawaii
p.185 Hortus 3rd
p.171 Royal Hort. Soc. Index of Garden Plants
p.893 Tropica
p.5/033 A.C.Smith - Flora Vitiensis Nova
p.95 RC Wilder - Flora of Rarotonga

Data Update History (information):
zTX, zB02, zM02, zupM03b, zD02, zupD05b

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