DATURA, the THORN-APPLE, in botany: A genus of the monogynia order, belonging to the pentandria class of plants; and in the natural method ranking under the 28th order, Lurids. The corolla is funnel-shaped, and plaited; the calyx tubular, angulated, and deciduous; the capsule quadrivalved. There are six species. The stramonium, or common thorn-apple, rises a yard high, with an erect, strong, round, hollow, green stalk, branching luxuriantly, having the branches widely extended on every side; large, oval, irregularly-angulated, smooth, dark-green leaves; and from the divisions of the branches, large white flowers singly, succeeded by large, oval, prickly capsules, growing erect, commonly called thorn-apples. At night the upper leaves rise up and inclose the flowers. The blossoms have sometimes a tinge of purple or violet. The flowers consist of one large, funnel-shaped petal, having a long tube, and spreading pentagonal limb, succeeded by large roundish capsules of the size of middling apples, closely beset with sharp spines. An ointment prepared from the leaves gives ease in external inflammations and in the haemorrhoids. The seeds were lately recommended by Dr Storeck to be taken internally in cases of madness; but they seem to be a very unsafe remedy. Taken even in a small dose, they bring on a delirium, and in a large one would certainly prove fatal. Cows, horses, sheep, and goats, refuse to eat this plant.