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Mirabilis (plant)
Encyclopedia
Mirabilis is a genus of plants in the family Nyctaginaceae
known as the four o'clocks. The best known species may be Mirabilis jalapa
, the plant most commonly called four o'clock.
There are several dozen species in the genus, of herbaceous plants, mostly found in the Americas
. Sometimes they have tuberous roots which enables them to perennate through dry and cool seasons. They have small, deep-throated flower
s, often fragrant.
Although best known as ornamental plant
s, at least one species, Mirabilis expansa
, mauka, is grown for food.
Species include:
Nyctaginaceae
Nyctaginaceae, the Four O'Clock Family, is a family of around 33 genera and 290 species of flowering plants, widely distributed in tropical and subtropical regions, with a few representatives in temperate regions...
known as the four o'clocks. The best known species may be Mirabilis jalapa
Mirabilis jalapa
Mirabilis jalapa is the most commonly grown ornamental species of Mirabilis, and is available in a range of colours. Mirabilis in Latin means wonderful and Jalapa is a town in Mexico...
, the plant most commonly called four o'clock.
There are several dozen species in the genus, of herbaceous plants, mostly found in the Americas
Americas
The Americas, or America , are lands in the Western hemisphere, also known as the New World. In English, the plural form the Americas is often used to refer to the landmasses of North America and South America with their associated islands and regions, while the singular form America is primarily...
. Sometimes they have tuberous roots which enables them to perennate through dry and cool seasons. They have small, deep-throated flower
Flower
A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants . The biological function of a flower is to effect reproduction, usually by providing a mechanism for the union of sperm with eggs...
s, often fragrant.
Although best known as ornamental plant
Ornamental plant
Ornamental plants are plants that are grown for decorative purposes in gardens and landscape design projects, as house plants, for cut flowers and specimen display...
s, at least one species, Mirabilis expansa
Mirabilis expansa
Mirabilis expansa is cultivated as a root vegetable in the Andes, at cold, windy altitudes above 2700 meters. The above-ground portion dies back with frost, but the root is quite hardy...
, mauka, is grown for food.
Species include:
- Mirabilis alipesMirabilis alipesMirabilis alipes is a species of flowering plant in the four o'clock family known by the common name winged four o'clock. It is native to the southwestern United States from eastern California to western Colorado, where it grows in brush, woodland, and dry mountain slope habitat. It is a perennial...
- Mirabilis coccinea
- Mirabilis expansaMirabilis expansaMirabilis expansa is cultivated as a root vegetable in the Andes, at cold, windy altitudes above 2700 meters. The above-ground portion dies back with frost, but the root is quite hardy...
- Mirabilis greenei
- Mirabilis jalapaMirabilis jalapaMirabilis jalapa is the most commonly grown ornamental species of Mirabilis, and is available in a range of colours. Mirabilis in Latin means wonderful and Jalapa is a town in Mexico...
- Mirabilis laevisMirabilis laevisMirabilis laevis is a recently redefined species of flowering plant in the four o'clock family, which now includes the common California chaparral plant known as wishbone bush and several very similar relatives previously classified as separate species.-References:*Spellenberg, R. & S. R....
- Mirabilis longifloraMirabilis longifloraMirabilis longiflora is a species of flowering plant native to the southwestern United States from Arizona to Texas and northern Mexico. It is night-flowering, the flowers are mostly white, strongly scented, and long and narrow in form, approaching 17 centimeters in maximum length.- External links...
- Mirabilis macfarlaneiMirabilis macfarlaneiMirabilis macfarlanei is a rare species of flowering plant in the four o'clock family known by the common name MacFarlane's four o'clock. It is native to Idaho and Oregon in the United States, where it is only known from three river canyons...
- Mirabilis multifloraMirabilis multifloraMirabilis multiflora is a species of flowering plant in the four o'clock family known by the common name Colorado four o'clock. It is native to the southwestern United States from California to Colorado and Texas, as well as far northern Mexico, where it grows in mostly dry habitat types in a...
- Mirabilis nyctagineaMirabilis nyctagineaMirabilis nyctaginea is a species of flowering plant in the four o'clock family known by several common names, including wild four o'clock, heartleaf four o'clock, and heartleaf umbrella wort. It is native to the central section of North America, and it occurs elsewhere as an introduced species,...
- Mirabilis oblongifolia
- Mirabilis pumila
- Mirabilis tenuiloba