Angel’s trumpet
Genus: Brugmansia
Botanical name: Brugmansia arborea
PLANT NAME IN DIFFERENT LANGUAGES
Sanskrit: Brihatdattura, Vrikshadattura
Hindi: Dattura
English: Angel’s trumpet, Tree Datura, Peruvian trumpets, Tree Datura, angel’s trumpet, Peruvian trumpets
Malayalam: Valiya ummam, Maraummam, Veliummam
MEDICINAL PROPERTIES
Angel’s trumpet is an evergreen shrub or small tree reaching up to 7 metres (23 ft) in height. The ovate leaves have coarsely toothed margins when in their best condition. The leaves, flower stalks, fruit, and especially the young shoots are covered with fine velvety white down. Flowers are strongly fragrant, trumpet-shaped, nodding to sub-horizontal, white to ivory-white or cream. At 12–17 centimetres (4.7–6.7 in) long, the flowers are the shortest of all Brugmansia. Flowers are produced almost continuously in smaller quantities, unlike many other Brugmansia that flower in larger flushes. The ovoid fruit have an average length of 6 centimetres (2.4 in) and width of 4.5 centimetres (1.8 in). The calyx is slit along one side and is very long in relation to the flower, and in this respect is often used as a quick check to verify correct identification. With a few exceptions, the green calyx usually reaches down almost all the way to the flower corolla’s mouth.
The leaves of Angel’s trumpet is used for skin diseases, arthritis, lumbago, sciatica and dandruff on external application.