''Mirabilis'' is a genus of plants in the family

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. The family has a unique fruit t ...

known as the four-o'clocks or umbrellaworts. The best known species may be ''

Mirabilis jalapa ''Mirabilis jalapa'', the marvel of Peru or four o'clock flower, is the most commonly grown ornamental species of ''Mirabilis'' plant, and is available in a range of colors. ''Mirabilis'' in Latin means wonderful and Xalapa, Jalapa (or Xalapa) is ...

'', the plant most commonly called four o'clock. There are several dozen species in the genus, of herbaceous plants, mostly found in the

Americas The Americas, which are sometimes collectively called America, are a landmass comprising the totality of North and South America. The Americas make up most of the land in Earth's Western Hemisphere and comprise the New World. Along with th ...

. Some form

tuberous root Tubers are a type of enlarged structure used as storage organs for nutrients in some plants. They are used for the plant's perennation (survival of the winter or dry months), to provide energy and nutrients for regrowth during the next growing s ...

s that enable them to perennate through dry and cool seasons. They have small, often fragrant, deep-throated

flower A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants (plants of the division Angiospermae). The biological function of a flower is to facilitate reproduction, usually by providing a mechani ...

s. Although best known as

ornamental plant Ornamental plants or garden plants are plants that are primarily grown for their beauty but also for qualities such as scent or how they shape physical space. Many flowering plants and garden varieties tend to be specially bred cultivars that i ...

s, at least one species, ''mauka'' ('' M. expansa''), is grown for food.

Selected species

*'' Mirabilis albida'' (Walter) Heimerl *'' Mirabilis alipes'' (S.Watson) Pilz *'' Mirabilis coccinea'' (Torr.) Benth. & Hook.f. *'' Mirabilis elegans'' (Choisy) Heimerl *'' Mirabilis expansa'' (Ruiz & Pav.) Standl. *'' Mirabilis greenei'' S.Watson *'' Mirabilis himalaica'' (Edgew.) Heimerl **''Mirabilis himalaica'' var. ''chinensis'' Heimerl **''Mirabilis himalaica'' var. ''himalaica'' *''

'' L. *'' Mirabilis laevis'' (Benth.) Curran **''Mirabilis laevis'' var. ''crassifolia'' (Choisy) Spellenb. **''Mirabilis laevis'' var. ''laevis'' **''Mirabilis laevis'' var. ''retrorsa'' (A.Heller) Jeps. **''Mirabilis laevis'' var. ''villosa'' (Kellogg) Spellenb. *''

Mirabilis linearis ''Mirabilis linearis'' (common name narrowleaf four o'clock) is a plant. Among the Zuni people, the root is eaten to induce urination and vomiting. They also take an infusion Infusion is the process of extracting chemical compounds or flavo ...

'' (Pursh) Heimerl **''Mirabilis linearis'' var. ''decipiens'' (Standl.) S.L.Welsh **''Mirabilis linearis'' var. ''linearis'' **''Mirabilis linearis'' var. ''subhispida'' (Heimerl) Spellenb. *'' Mirabilis longiflora'' L. *'' Mirabilis macfarlanei'' Constance & Rollins *''

Mirabilis multiflora ''Mirabilis multiflora'' is a species of flowering plant in the four o'clock family known by the common name Colorado four o'clock that is native to the southwestern United States from California to Colorado and Texas, as well as far northern Mex ...

'' (Torr.) A.Gray *''

Mirabilis nyctaginea ''Mirabilis 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. Four-o'-clock is native to the central section o ...

'' (Michx.) MacMill. *''

Mirabilis oblongifolia Mirabilis is a Latin adjective meaning "amazing, wondrous, remarkable", and is used to refer to: * Annus mirabilis, a Latin phrase meaning "wonderful year" or "year of wonders" (or "year of miracles") * Anorexia mirabilis, religious fasting to the ...

'' *''

Mirabilis oxybaphoides Mirabilis is a Latin adjective meaning "amazing, wondrous, remarkable", and is used to refer to: * Annus mirabilis, a Latin phrase meaning "wonderful year" or "year of wonders" (or "year of miracles") * Anorexia mirabilis, religious fasting to the ...

'' (A.Gray) A.Gray *''

Mirabilis pumila Mirabilis is a Latin adjective meaning "amazing, wondrous, remarkable", and is used to refer to: * Annus mirabilis, a Latin phrase meaning "wonderful year" or "year of wonders" (or "year of miracles") * Anorexia mirabilis, religious fasting to the ...

'' *''

Mirabilis rotundifolia ''Mirabilis rotundifolia'' is a species of flowering plant in the four o'clock family known by the common name roundleaf four o'clock. It is endemic to Colorado in the United States, where it is limited to the south-central part of the state.

'' (Greene) Standl. *''

Mirabilis tenuiloba ''Mirabilis tenuiloba'' common names longlobe four o'clock or maravilla, is a plant species native to the south-western United States and north-eastern Mexico. It has been reported from Baja California, Baja California Sur, southern California ( ...

'' *''

Mirabilis viscosa Mirabilis is a Latin adjective meaning "amazing, wondrous, remarkable", and is used to refer to: * Annus mirabilis, a Latin phrase meaning "wonderful year" or "year of wonders" (or "year of miracles") * Anorexia mirabilis, religious fasting to the ...

'' Cav.

References

External links

Night-blooming plants Caryophyllales genera Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus {{Caryophyllales-stub