NYCTAGINACE^E. (FOUR-O'CLOCK FAMILY.) 301 



DIVISION III. APETAL^E. 



Floral envelope consisting only of a calyx (often petaloid), 

 or wholly wanting. 



ORDER 62. NYCTAGINACEjE. (FOUR-O'CLOCK FAMILY.) 



Herbs, with mostly opposite and entire leaves, sterns tumid at the 

 joint, a delicate tubular or funnel-form calyx which is colored like a 

 corolla, its persistent base constricted above the 1 -celled, 1-seeded ovary, 

 and indurated into a sort of nut-like pericarp ; the stems few, slender 

 and hypogynous ; the embryo coiled around outside the mealy albumen. 



* Involucre calyx-like, 3 to 5-cleft or -parted, 1 to 12-flowered : perianth tubular to funnel- 

 form or campanulate. 



1. Mirabilis. Involucre 5-lobed, not changed in fruit. Fruit not angled nor winged, and 



scarcely or not at all ribbed. Stamens usually 5. 



2. Oxybaphus. Involucre 5-lobed, 1 to 5-fiowered, in fruit becoming enlarged, thin and 



reticulated. Fruit several -ribbed or angled. Stamens usually 3. 



3. Allionia. Involucre deeply 3-lobed, 3-flowered. Fruit with a double line of tubercles 



on the back, surrounded by a rigid winged margin , toothed and inflexed. Stamens 

 usually 3. 

 * * Involucre of 5 or more distinct bracts, subtending a many-flowered head. 



4. Abronia. Perianth salver-form, including the stameus and style. Fruit wing-angled. 



1. MIRABILIS, L. FOUR-O'CLOCK. 



Stamens as long as the perianth : filaments united at base. Stigma 

 capitate, granulate. Fruit globose to ovate-oblong. Perennial herbs, with 

 opposite leaves nearly equal in the pairs: peduncles solitary in the axils or 

 paniculate : flowers nearly sessile in the involucres. 



# Involucre usually G-ftoivered : flowers large: calyx long-tubular or funnelform : 



stamens 4 to 5. 



1. M. multiflora, Gray. Stout and spreading : leaves broadly ovate to 

 ovate-lanceolate, often somewhat cordate at base but decurrent upon the peti- 

 ole : involucre glabrous, campanulate, 5-cleft : flowers pale rose-color to purple, 

 with the tube somewhat greenish, l to 2 inches long, fruit marked towards 

 the base by ten shallow furrows and as many intermediate dark lines. Bot. 

 Mex. Bound. 173. From Colorado to the llio Grande and westward to 

 S. California. 



* * Involucre 3-jlowered . flowers rather small: calyx broad-funnelform from a 



short tube: stamens 3. 



2. M. OXybaphoides, Gray. Slender, procumbent, diffuse : leaves all 

 deeply cordate, on rather long petioles, lowest reuiform, upper ones acumi- 

 nate : involucre deeply 5-cleft, very viscid-glandular as well as the peduncles 

 in the loose panicle. S. Colorado and southward. 



