hi Lorax, i do not think I will get any closer! I have seen Datura ferox in a botanical garden and my memory was of much longer spines - so I do not think it is that - unless the fruit is still developing. I did grow Datura metel once and my memory of this was the fruit was more bumpy than spiney - so i do not think it is that. So if my memory is correct ( = big "if"), then 3 species are eliminated...but I can go no further. Hopefully someone else will step in with the answer. Thanks again for the challenge, Brian
Here's another trick for you - D. stramontium produces blackish pods at the outset, and they never really green up the way this species does.
hi Lorax, i have exhausted my knowledge / experience of Datura .....but i have just checked out the Tropicos Ecuador checklist and the only remaining species is D. inoxia so thats my final guess ! Coincidentally, yesterday I came across a small plant in my garden on some soil dumped by a builder and I think it might be a young Datura....I´ll leave it for a while to see how it turns out. Tchau Brian
