Mirabilis longiflora

Mirabilis longiflora
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Order:	Caryophyllales
Family:	Nyctaginaceae
Genus:	Mirabilis
Species:	M. longiflora
Binomial name
Mirabilis longiflora L.

Mirabilis longiflora, also known as the sweet four o'clock or the long-flowered four o'Clock, is a species of flowering plant native to the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. The flowers open in the late afternoon and bloom through the night, hence the name.

Description

Flowers

It is a herbaceous, tender perennial species that grows up to 150 cm high (5 feet). It has upright, thin stems that branch densely from the base. Petiolate leaves between 6 to 11.5 cm long and 3 to 7 cm wide in ovate or lanceo-ovate shape, bright green in color.

Inflorescences

The inflorescences are terminal or axillary, very compact, with linear and foliar bracts. The involvements are bell-shaped, 1 to 1.5 cm long, with unequal triangular or slightly lanceolate lobes. The flower has a perianth 8 to 17 cm long, 5 stamens, brush-shaped stigma. The fruit is an elliptical or oblong dark-colored achene about 8 mm long by 5 mm wide.

Flower colour is white to pinkish with a reddish or purplish throat. This species is a nocturnal flowerer, whose long, narrow, strongly-scented, tubular flowers (approaching 17 centimeters in maximum length) exhale a fragrant aroma at nights.

Habitat

Native to southwestern United States, from Arizona to Texas and northern Mexico, it is found in scrubby canyons and riverbanks.

Gallery

• 
  Flower detail
• 
  Grown in clumps at the University of Latvia Botanical Garden
• 
  Emerging flower
• 
  Long tubular flowers
• 
  As a rock garden plant on raised a garden bed