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Giant Four O'clock (Mirabilis multiflora)
Perennial Forbs Around Las Vegas, Vegetation Around Las Vegas
Giant Four O'clock (Mirabilis multiflora)
Giant Four O'clock (Mirabilis multiflora)

General: Giant Four O'clock (Mirabilis multiflora) is a perennial forb with large fleshy leaves and large, funnel-shaped purple flowers that look out of place in an arid desert.

The inflorescence is composed of a hood-like or bell-shaped involucre that arises from the leaf axils (1 per upper axil). Each involucre holds 6 funnel-shaped, magenta flowers to about 2-1/2 inches diameter. Fruits develop inside and attached to the involucre. Fruit is football-shaped, to 11 mm long, often with 10 lines or low ribs.

Giant Four O'clock is an uncommon component of vegetation communities in dry, well-drained gravelly areas on bajadas into the lower mountains in the Upper Sonoran (Mojave Desert Scrub and Pinyon-Juniper Woodland) and Transition (Yellow Pine Forest) life zones.

Around Las Vegas, look for Giant Four O'clock at Red Rock Canyon NCA, Mojave National Preserve, Gold Butte National Monument, and the Desert NWR.

Family: Four O'Clock (Nyctaginaceae). Also called Colorado Four O'clock

Giant Four O'clock (Mirabilis multiflora) Giant Four O'clock (Mirabilis multiflora)
Giant Four O'clock (Mirabilis multiflora) Giant Four O'clock (Mirabilis multiflora)
Giant Four O'clock (Mirabilis multiflora) Giant Four O'clock (Mirabilis multiflora)
Giant Four O'clock (Mirabilis multiflora) Giant Four O'clock (Mirabilis multiflora)
Giant Four O'clock (Mirabilis multiflora) Giant Four O'clock (Mirabilis multiflora)
Giant Four O'clock (Mirabilis multiflora) Giant Four O'clock (Mirabilis multiflora)
Giant Four O'clock (Mirabilis multiflora)
Magenta flowers to about 2-1/2 inches diameter
Giant Four O'clock (Mirabilis multiflora)
Each involucre holds 6 flowers
Giant Four O'clock (Mirabilis multiflora)
Fruits developing inside involucre (involucre turned inside out)
Giant Four O'clock (Mirabilis multiflora)
Dried fruits inside involucre
Giant Four O'clock (Mirabilis multiflora)
Dried fruits inside involucre (involucre turned inside out)
Giant Four O'clock (Mirabilis multiflora)
Dried fruits inside involucre (involucre turned inside out)

Note: All distances, elevations, and other facts are approximate. Names generally follow the USDA database.
copyright; Last updated 240907

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