Jepson Herbarium
		University of California, Berkeley

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Indexes to all accepted names and synonyms: | A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z |

Annual, perennial herb, subshrub, [ shrub, tree], glabrous or hairy.
Stem: often forked.
Leaf: opposite, sessile or petioled, pairs generally unequal; blade generally entire.
Inflorescence: generally forked; spike, head-like cluster, or umbel, flowers rarely 1, bracts forming a calyx-like involucre or not.
Flower: bisexual, generally ± radial ( bilateral), sometimes cleistogamous in some genera; perianth of 1 whorl, generally petal-like, bell- to trumpet-shaped, base hardened, tightly surrounding ovary in fruit, lobes 3–5, generally notched to ± lobed; stamens 1–many; ovary superior (appearing inferior due to hardened perianth base), style 1.
Fruit: achene in hardened perianth base; round to ± flat; smooth, angled, ribbed, or winged; glabrous, hairy, or glandular.
30 genera, 350 species: warm regions, especially Am; some ornamental (Bougainvillea; Mirabilis, four o'clock). [Spellenberg 2003 FNANM 4:14–17] —Scientific Editor: Thomas J. Rosatti.

Key to Nyctaginaceae

Perennial, subshrub.
Stem: repeatedly forked, decumbent to erect.
Leaf: generally petioled.
Inflorescence: branches ending in umbel-like cluster or solitary flowers; bracts 5(9), ± fused (or not) into calyx-like, bell- to saucer-shaped involucre; flowers in 1 involucre 1–16, generally not blooming together; flowers cleistogamous or not.
Flower: radial or ± bilateral; perianth funnel- to bell-shaped, lobes 5; stamens 3–5, generally exserted; stigma ± spheric, generally exserted.
Fruit: ± round to club-shaped; ribs or angles 0, 5, 10; wings 0.
± 60 species: Am, Himalayas. (Latin: wonderful) [Spellenberg 2003 FNANM 4:40–57] Fls open in evening, close in morning; species intergrade, taxonomy unsettled.

Stem: ascending to erect, 3–8 dm.
Leaf: blade 3–12 cm, round to ovate, fleshy, glandular-hairy or glabrous in age.
Inflorescence: involucre 1 per upper axil, peduncled, bell-shaped, ± glabrous to minutely glandular-hairy, 6-flowered; bracts 5, 22–35 mm, 1/2–3/4 fused.
Flower: perianth 40–60 mm, narrowly funnel-shaped, magenta.
Fruit: 6–11 mm, elliptic, often with 10 lines or low ribs. Varieties difficult to distinguish where they overlap in CA; 1 other var., AZ to CO, TX. [Online Interchange]
Unabridged note: Mirabilis multiflora var. multiflora from AZ to CO, TX.

Inflorescence: bracts generally acute.
Fruit: ± smooth, with 10 slender, tan, sometimes raised ribs, generally alternating with 10 brown, often interrupted lines, not gelatinous when wet.
Dry, rocky or sandy places; 50–2100 m. s Sierra Nevada Foothills, s San Joaquin Valley, e Peninsular Ranges, White and Inyo Mountains, Desert;

Previous taxon: Mirabilis multiflora var. glandulosa
Next taxon: Mirabilis nyctaginea

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Citation for the whole project: Jepson Flora Project (eds.) [year] Jepson eFlora, http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/IJM.html [accessed on month, day, year]
Citation for an individual treatment: [Author of taxon treatment] [year]. [Taxon name] in Jepson Flora Project (eds.) Jepson eFlora, [URL for treatment]. Accessed on [month, day, year].

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Bioregions in which taxon occurs	Red area (if present) is the part of the bioregion lying between the upper and lower elevation limits of the taxon; markers link to CCH specimen records. If the markers are obscured, reload the page [or change window size and reload]. Yellow markers indicate records that may have georeferencing or identification issues.
Chart based on elevation range in Manual and elevations and coordinates of CCH records. Data provided by the participants of the Consortium of California Herbaria. Note: About half of the CCH records include both elevation and coordinates.	Map made in collaboration with Scott Loarie. Data provided by the participants of the Consortium of California Herbaria. View all CCH records   CCH collections by month Duplicates counted once; synonyms included. Species do not include records of infraspecific taxa. Blue line denotes Manual flowering time.