Common Name: FOUR O'CLOCK FAMILY
Habit: 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.
Genera In Family: 30 genera, 350 species: warm regions, especially America; some ornamental (Bougainvillea; Mirabilis, four o'clock).
eFlora Treatment Author: Andy Murdock, except as noted
Scientific Editor: Thomas J. Rosatti.

Habit: Perennial herb from large taproot. Stem: much-branched. Leaf: petioled; blade < 8 cm, fleshy, margin often wavy. Inflorescence: head or umbel; bracts 5--10, green; flowers maturing 1 side of inflorescence before the other; receptacle flat or rounded, studded with peg-shaped pedicel-like projections 1--3 mm. Flower: nocturnal, perianth trumpet-shaped, lobes 4--5; stamens 3--5, included; stigma linear, included. Fruit: wings 2--4, wide, surrounding fruit body, translucent, conspicuously net-veined.
Etymology: (Greek, Latin: 3-winged cup, from fruit) Note: Closely related to Abronia.
eFlora Treatment Author: Andy Murdock
Reference: Galloway 2003 FNANM 4:70--71