NYCTAGINACEAE

FOUR O'CLOCK FAMILY

Richard Spellenberg

Perennial, shrub, tree, glabrous or hairy
Stem often forked
Leaves opposite, sessile or petioled, pairs generally unequal; blade generally entire
Inflorescence generally forked; of spikes, clusters, or umbels, each unit sometimes with a calyx-like involucre
Flower bisexual, radial; perianth of 1 whorl, petal-like, bell- to trumpet-shaped, base hardened, tightly surrounding ovary in fruit, lobes 4–5, generally notched to ± bilateral; stamens 1–many; ovary superior (appearing inferior because of hardened perianth base), style 1
Fruit: achene or nut, smooth, wrinkled, or ribbed
Genera in family: 30 genera, 300 species: warm regions, especially Am; some ornamental (Bougainvillea ; Mirabilis , four o'clock).

MIRABILIS

FOUR O'CLOCK

Perennial, subshrub
Stem repeatedly forked, decumbent to erect
Leaf generally petioled
Inflorescence forked; calyx-like involucres densely clustered or solitary in axils, bell- to saucer-shaped; flowers 1–16 per involucre, blooming sequentially
Flower: perianth funnel- to bell-shaped, lobes 5; stamens 3–5, generally exserted; stigma ± spheric, generally exserted
Fruit ± round to club-shaped, smooth to 5-ribbed; wing 0
Species in genus: ± 60 species: Am, Himalayas
Etymology: (Latin: wonderful)
Fls open in evening, close in morning. Spp. intergrade; Hermidium , Oxybaphus sometimes segregated, but intergrade with other species; careful study needed. [Pilz 1978 Madroño 25:113–132]

Native

M. alipes (S. Watson) Pilz

Stem decumbent to erect, 2–4 dm; glaucous, glabrous, or sparsely hairy upward
Leaf: blade 2–7 cm, broadly ovate to round, fleshy, glabrous or sparsely short-hairy
Inflorescence: involucre 1 per upper axil, peduncled, ± cup-shaped, glabrous; bracts generally 5–7, free to fused ± half length, 15–30 mm, broadly ovate; flower 1 per bract; pedicel fused to bract
Flower: perianth ± 15 mm, funnel-shaped, magenta (rarely creamy white)
Fruit 5.5–7 mm, elliptic, glabrous; ribs 10, slender, tan
Ecology: Dry slopes, flats
Elevation: 1200–2000 m.
Bioregional distribution: White and Inyo Mountains, Desert Mountains (Panamint Mtns)
Distribution outside California: to w Colorado
Flowering time: May–Jun
Synonyms: Hermidium a. S. Watson
Horticultural information: TRY.