Mirabilis jalapa L.

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Mirabilis jalapa

Photo: Petra Ballings
Shaneragh rd, Mandara, Harare

Mirabilis jalapa

Photo: Petra Ballings
Shaneragh rd, Mandara, Harare

Mirabilis jalapa

Photo: Petra Ballings
Shaneragh rd, Mandara, Harare

Mirabilis jalapa

Photo: Mark Hyde
Chiraura River, Mukuvisi Woodlands

Mirabilis jalapa

Photo: Mark Hyde
Chiraura River, Mukuvisi Woodlands

Mirabilis jalapa

Photo: Mark Hyde
Chiraura River, Mukuvisi Woodlands

Mirabilis jalapa

Photo: Mark Hyde
Chiraura River, Mukuvisi Woodlands

Mirabilis jalapa

Photo: Mark Hyde
Broadlands Road, Harare

Mirabilis jalapa

Photo: Mark Hyde
Broadlands Road, Harare

Mirabilis jalapa

Photo: Mark Hyde
Broadlands Road, Harare

Mirabilis jalapa

Photo: Mark Hyde
Broadlands Road, Harare

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Species details: Click on each item to see an explanation of that item (Note: opens a new window)

Synonyms:
Common names: Beauty-of-the-night (English) Four o'clock flower (English) Marvel-of-Peru (English)
Frequency:
Status: Introduced
Description:
Herb up to 1.5 m tall. Leaves 3.5-13 × 2-8 cm ovate, glabrous to puberulent, entire; apex acuminate; margin ciliate; rhaphides conspicuous beneath. Inflorescences terminal. Involucre divided ± halfway into 5 triangular to ovate lobes. Perianth 4-5.5 cm long, tubular; lower portion green; upper portion spreading, purple, red, yellow, white or variegated. Stamens 5-6, exserted. Anthocarp 7-9 mm long, ellipsoid to subspherical, ribbed or angled, black.
Notes:
Derivation of specific name: jalapa: from Xalapa (Jalapa), capital of Veracruz state, Mexico.
Habitat: In disturbed places, often on roadsides, sometimes in woodland and by streams
Altitude range: (metres) 820 - 1570 m
Flowering time:
Worldwide distribution: Native from Mexico to Central America; introduced elsewhere.
Zimbabwe distribution: N,W,C,E
Growth form(s):
Endemic status:
Red data list status:
Insects associated with this species:
Spot characters: Display spot characters for this species
Images last updated: Sunday 18 March 2018
Literature:

Burrows, J.E. & Willis, C.K. (eds) (2005). Plants of the Nyika Plateau Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 31 SABONET, Pretoria Page 216. (Includes a picture).

Mapaura, A. & Timberlake, J. (eds) (2004). A checklist of Zimbabwean vascular plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 33 Sabonet, Pretoria and Harare Page 64.

Stannard, B.L. (1988). Nyctaginaceae Flora Zambesiaca 9(1) Pages 13 - 14. (Includes a picture).


Other sources of information about Mirabilis jalapa:

Our websites:

Flora of Caprivi: cultivated Mirabilis jalapa
Flora of Malawi: Mirabilis jalapa
Flora of Mozambique: Mirabilis jalapa
Flora of Mozambique: cultivated Mirabilis jalapa
Flora of Zambia: Mirabilis jalapa
Flora of Zimbabwe: cultivated Mirabilis jalapa

External websites:

African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Mirabilis jalapa
African Plant Database: Mirabilis jalapa
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Mirabilis jalapa
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Mirabilis jalapa
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Mirabilis jalapa
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
iNaturalist: Mirabilis jalapa
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Mirabilis jalapa
JSTOR Plant Science: Mirabilis jalapa
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Mirabilis jalapa
Plants of the World Online: Mirabilis jalapa
Tropicos: Mirabilis jalapa
Wikipedia: Mirabilis jalapa


Copyright: Mark Hyde, Bart Wursten, Petra Ballings and Meg Coates Palgrave, 2002-24

Hyde, M.A., Wursten, B.T., Ballings, P. & Coates Palgrave, M. (2024). Flora of Zimbabwe: Species information: Mirabilis jalapa.
https://www.zimbabweflora.co.zw/speciesdata/species.php?species_id=122580, retrieved 19 March 2024

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