four o'clock flower

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Marvel-Of-Peru
• Beauty of the Night
• Four o'clock
• beauty-of-the-night
• false jalap
• four-o'clock
• Four o'clock flower
• Four-O'Clocks
• Marvel of Peru

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Nyctago mirabilis
• Mirabilis hybrida
• Mirabilis divaricata
• Mirabilis cordata
• Mirabilis dichotoma
• Mirabilis ambigua
• Jalapa congesta
• Mirabilis uniflora
• Mirabilis jalapa var. ambigua
• Mirabilis undulata
• Mirabilis jalapa var. odorata
• Mirabilis planiflora
• Mirabilis pubescens
• Trimista levigata
• Mirabilis procera
• Mirabilis jalapa f. dichlamydomorpha
• Mirabilis pedunculata
• Mirabilis jalapa var. jalapa
• Mirabilis jalapa subsp. lindheimeri
• Mirabilis jalapa subsp. ciliata
• Mirabilis jalapa f. parviflora
• Nyctago jalapae
• Mirabilis jalapa var. procera
• Jalapa dichotoma
• Nyctago dichotoma
• Mirabilis divaricata var. uniflora
• Mirabilis odorata
• Mirabilis jalapa var. planiflora
• Mirabilis lindheimeri
• Mirabilis jalapa var. lindheimeri
• Mirabilis jalapa var. dichlamydomorpha
• Mirabilis jalapa subsp. volcanica
• Jalapa officinalis
• Jalapa officinarum
• Jalapa undulata

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. Within the order Caryophyllales, it is classified under the family Nyctaeginaceae. Finally, its taxonomic designation is completed by its placement in the genus Mirabilis.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a diverse range of locations across the European continent. In Northern Europe, its presence can be observed in Great Britain and Sweden. Moving toward the center of the continent, its distribution extends into Middle Europe. Specifically, it is found within the borders of Germany and Austria. Finally, its geographical reach also encompasses the region of Czechia-Slovakia.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Mirabilis jalapa is characterized by its broad adaptability across a wide vertical gradient, ranging from sea level (0 m AMSL) to high-altitude environments reaching a maximum elevation of 2500 m AMSL. This species demonstrates a high degree of tolerance for disturbed environments, frequently thriving within anthropogenic areas (Área Antrópica), where it colonizes landscapes modified by human activity. Its ability to occupy these varied ecological niches, from low-lying coastal zones to montane regions, highlights its resilient nature and capacity to flourish in human-influenced habitats.

Elevational range max:

2500 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Habitat :

Área Antrópica

Genetics

The genetics of Mirabilis jalapa are characterized by a notable chromosomal variation and a complex polyploid nature that distinguishes it within the Nyctaginaceae family. Scientific observations indicate that the chromosome number in this species can vary, specifically documented at 54 and 58, which reflects the inherent genomic plasticity of the plant. Furthermore, the species exhibits a ploidy level of 2, a characteristic that plays a fundamental role in its evolutionary stability and its capacity for diverse phenotypic expression. This genetic makeup underpins the plant's ability to maintain structural integrity while allowing for the chromosomal fluctuations observed in different populations.

Chromosome number :

54, 58

Ploidy :

2

Life history

The life history of Mirabilis jalapa is characterized by a versatile growth strategy, functioning as a perennial organism that exhibits a variable lifecycle depending on environmental conditions. Its structural habit is classified as both a hemicryptophyte and a cryptophyte, indicating that its perennading buds are protected at or just below the soil surface. Throughout its existence, the plant maintains an evergreen status, retaining its foliage to sustain metabolic processes across different seasons.

Deciduousness :

evergreen

Life form :

hemicryptophyte

Life form :

cryptophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Mirabilis jalapa is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody herb. As a terrestrial plant, it functions as an independent organism rather than a parasite or an epiphyte. The plant typically exhibits an erect shoot orientation and is self-supporting in its growth habit, rather than acting as a vine or liana. In terms of stature, the plant reaches a maximum height of 1.5 m, with a mean height of approximately 0.8 m, and can be found at heights as low as 0.4 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

1.5 m

Plant height mean:

0.8 m

Plant height min:

0.4 m

Shoot orientation :

erect

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Mirabilis jalapa is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, which dictates its carbon fixation processes and metabolic efficiency. The plant's vegetative structure features non-succulent leaves that exhibit significant morphological variability, with leaf forms described as elliptic. In terms of leaf dimensions, the plant displays a wide range of sizes; the leaf length typically averages 9 cm, with minimum measurements recorded as low as 0.4 cm and a maximum potential reaching 15 cm. Similarly, the leaf width shows substantial diversity, averaging 5.5 cm, with minimum widths of 0.2 cm and a maximum width of 9 cm. Additionally, the species does not function as a nitrogen fixer, meaning it relies on external nitrogen sources within the soil rather than symbiotic nitrogen-fixing bacteria to meet its nutritional requirements.

Leaf form :

elliptic

Leaf length max:

15 cm

Leaf length mean:

9 cm

Leaf length min:

0.4 cm

Leaf width max:

9 cm

Leaf width mean:

5.5 cm

Leaf width min:

0.2 cm

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Succulence :

no

Reproduction

The reproduction of Mirabilis jalapa involves both sexual and asexual processes, with its sexual reproduction characterized by bisexual flowers that facilitate genetic diversity. The flowering period is notably extensive and variable, typically beginning in December and lasting until October. These flowers, which exhibit a pink color, range in width from 2.5 cm to 3.5 cm and rely on biotic pollination syndromes, specifically utilizing insects to achieve fertilization, as self-fertilization is noted to be absent. Following successful pollination, the plant produces fruits that vary in size, with a mean length of 0.725 cm (ranging from 0.5 cm to 1 cm) and a mean width of 0.65 cm (ranging from 0.5 cm to 0.8 cm). Each fruit contains a significant number of seeds, typically ranging between 11 and 100 per fruit. The seeds themselves possess a mean mass of 0.05703 g, with individual masses ranging from as little as 0.0007 g to as much as 0.0872 g. Dispersal of the offspring is primarily hydrochorous, meaning the seeds are spread via water.

Dispersal syndrome :

hydrochorous

Flower colour :

pink

Flower width max:

3.5 cm

Flower width min:

2.5 cm

Flowering time :

Dec

Flowering time :

Oct

Fruit length max:

1 cm

Fruit length mean:

0.725 cm

Fruit length min:

0.5 cm

Fruit width max:

0.8 cm

Fruit width mean:

0.65 cm

Fruit width min:

0.5 cm

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Reproduction asexual :

present

Reproduction sexual :

bisexual

Seed mass max:

0.0872 g

Seed mass mean:

0.05703 g

Seed mass min:

7e-04 g

Seeds_per_fruit :

11-100

Self fertilization :

absent

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Mirabilis jalapa has 4 reported plant parts identified across 7 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include root, flower, leaf, stem.

Root

1. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica
2. Frontiers in microbiology
3. Microbiology resource announcements

Flower

1. Frontiers in microbiology
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Leaf

1. Frontiers in microbiology

Stem

1. Frontiers in microbiology

Chemicals

Mirabilis jalapa has 9 reported phytochemicals identified across 7 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include BETA-SITOSTEROL, FAT, Trigonelline, arabinose, beta-Amyrin.

BETA-SITOSTEROL

1. Dr. Duke
2. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica

FAT

1. Dr. Duke

Trigonelline

1. Dr. Duke

arabinose

1. Dr. Duke

beta-Amyrin

1. Dr. Duke

beta-Sitosterol beta-D-Glucoside

1. Dr. Duke

galactose

1. Dr. Duke

n-Hexacosanol

1. Dr. Duke

resin

1. Dr. Duke

Activities

Mirabilis jalapa has 64 reported activities identified across 7 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Antispasmodic, Analgesic, Androgenic, Angiogenic.

Antioxidant

1. Dr. Duke
2. Immunological investigations

Antispasmodic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Analgesic

1. Dr. Duke

Androgenic

1. Dr. Duke

Angiogenic

1. Dr. Duke

Anorexic

1. Dr. Duke

Antiadenomic

1. Dr. Duke

Antiandrogenic

1. Dr. Duke

Antibacterial

1. Dr. Duke

Anticancer (Breast)

1. Dr. Duke

Medicinal Uses

Mirabilis jalapa has 3 reported medicinal uses identified across 7 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include diarrhea, dysentery, wounds.

Most Reported Uses

Preparations