four-o'clock family. 283 



91. NYCTAGINACE^, FOUR-O'CLOCK FAMILY. 



Represented by a few plants with tubular or funnel-form calyx 

 colored like a corolla, and falling away from a persistent lower 

 portion which closes completely over the 1-celled 1-ovuled ovary 

 and seed-like fruit, forming a hard and dry covering wliich would 

 be mistaken for a true pericarp. Stamens 2-5, the long slender 

 filaments hypogynous, but apt to adhere somewhat to the sides of 

 the calyx-tube above. Embryo coiled around some mealy albumen. 

 (Lessons, p. 15, fig. 36, 37.) Ours are herbs, with opposite simple 

 entire or wavy leaves, and jointed stems, tutlid at the joints. 



1. ABKONIA. . Flowers small, many in a peduncled umbel-like head surrounded 



by an involucre of about 5 separate bracts. Calyx salver-shaped with a 

 slender tube, and a corolla-like 5-lobed border, which is plaited in the bud, 

 the lobes generally notched at the ehd. Stamens 5 and style included. 



2. OXYBAPHUS. Flowers small, a few together surrounded by a 6-lobed invo- 



lucre, which enlarges and becomes thin, membranaceous, reticulated, and 

 wheel-shaped after flowering. Calyx with a very short tube constricted 

 above the ovary, expanding into a bell-shaped 5-l'obed corolla-like border, 

 open only for a day. Stamens (mostly 3) and slender style .protruding. 

 Fi-uit (persistent base of calyx) akene-like, strongly-ribbed. 



3. MIRABILlS. Flower large, in the common species only a single one in the 



cup-shaped 5-cleft green involucre, which thus exactly imitates a calyx, as 

 the tubular -funnel-shaped or almost salver-shaped delicate calyx does a 

 corolla. Stamens 5, and especially the style (tipped with a shield-shaped 

 stigma) protruded. Fruit ovoid, smooth and nearly even. 



1. ABBONIA. ,(Name from Greek word meaning delicate.) Western 

 North American herbs, cultivated for ornament.: 11 all summer. ^ 



A- umbellS,ta, from coast of California, has prostrate slender stems, ovate- 

 oblong slender petioled leaves, and rose-purple flowers open by day, the invo- 

 lucre of small bracts. 



A. frigrans, from Rocky Mountains, hardy JJ"., has ascending branching 

 stems, lance-ovate leaves, and white /Sweet-scented flowers opening at sunset; 

 the involucre of conspicuous ovate scarious and whitish bracts. 



2. OXYBAPHUS. (Name from a Greek word for a vinegar-saucer', from 

 the shape of the involucre.) ^ Several species on Western plains : fl. rose- 

 purple, all summer. 



O. nyctagineus. Rocky or gravelly soil from Wisconsin W. & S. : 

 smooth or sraoothish ; leaves petioled, varying from ovate to lanceolate, obtuse 

 or heart-shaped at base. 



O. ^IbidUS. From North Carolina S. : often hairy above ; leaves sessile 

 or nearly so, acute at base, lanceolate or oblong ; fruit more hairy. 



3. MIEABILIS, FOUR-O'CLOCK or MARVEL-OF-PERU. (Clu- 

 sifK called it Admirahilis, which Linnseus shortened.) Natives of warm parts 

 of Amei-ica : roots very large and fleshy ; leaves more or less heart-shaped, 

 the lower petiojed ; flowers mostly clustered, showy, opening towards sunset 

 or in cloudy weather, produced all summer. ^ 



M. Jal^pa. Cult, for ornament in many varieties as to flower (red, yellow, 

 white, or variegated), its tube only 2' long and thiekish, stamens shorter than 

 its spreading border ; whole plant nearly smooth. 



M. longiflbra. IjCss common in cult. ; tube of the sweet-scented flower 

 6' long and clammy-hairy (as well as the upper leaves) ; stamens shorter than 

 its spreading white border. 



M. Wrightiina. Texas and cult. : more slender than the last, nearly 

 smooth, tube of the smaller and more slender faintly fragrant flower 4' long, 

 the border white tinged witlj rose ; stamens and style much protruding. 



