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Mirabilis jalapa L.
| Family Name: | Nyctaginaceae |
| Synonyms: | Mirabilis jalapa f. eujalapa Heimerl, Nyctago jalapae (L.) DC., Nyctago versicolor Salisb. |
| Common Name: | Marvel of Peru, Four-o-clock, False Jalap, Bunga Pukul Empat, 四时花, 紫茉莉 |
Mirabilis jalapa or Marvel of Peru is a tuberous herb that can grow to 1 m tall. It has oblong to triangular foliage and trumpet-shaped flowers. The lemon-scented flowers are short lived, they bloom in the late afternoon and closes by the next morning. Marvel of Peru have also been cultivated to produce fragrant attractive flowers that comes in colours of yellow, red, white or variegated. The flowers are also harvested to produce an edible dye used to colour cakes and jellies.
Name
Classifications and Characteristics
| Plant Division | Angiosperms (Flowering Seed Plants) (Dicotyledon) |
|---|---|
| Plant Growth Form | Herbaceous Plant |
| Lifespan (in Singapore) | Perennial |
| Mode of Nutrition | Autotrophic |
| Maximum Height | 1 m |
Biogeography
| Native Distribution | Mexico to Central America |
|---|---|
| Native Habitat | Terrestrial |
| Preferred Climate Zone | Tropical |
| Local Conservation Status | Non-native |
Description and Ethnobotany
| Growth Form | It is a tuberous herb that is occasionally grown as an annual, reaching up to 1 m in height. |
|---|---|
| Foliage | Its foliage are arranged oppositely, oblong to triangular in shape. They measure between 2 - 15 by 1 - 9 cm. |
| Flowers | Its flowers are trumpet-shaped, held in clusters of 3 -7. The flowers measure up to 5 cm long, cultivated to produce multiple colours; white, yellow, red or variegated. The lemon scented flowers last for a day, it opens in the late afternoon, and stay open up till the next morning giving it the name, Four-O-Clock. |
| Fruit | Its fruits are dry, almost round, ribbed and wrinkled. The dark brown to black fruits are 7 - 9 mm wide. |
| Habitat | It has become naturalized in cultivation, throughout tropical and warm temperate regions, waste ground and around habitation; to altitude of 200 - 2150 m. |
| Cultivation | Generally, Mirabilis jalapa is easy to grow, thrives easily with fertile, well-drained soil under full sun conditions (6 - 8 hours of sunlight). |
| Ethnobotanical Uses | Medicinal: The roots are used in Chinese folk medicine as a purgative. The juice is extracted from the leaves and applied to wounds while a decoction is applied to abscesses. The leaves and seeds are used as a purgative. Others: The flowers are used for making edible dyes for cakes and jellies. |
Landscaping Features
| Desirable Plant Features | Ornamental Flowers, Fragrant (Flowers) |
|---|---|
| Landscape Uses | Small Gardens, Container Planting, Flowerbed / Border |
| Usage Hazard - Cons | Toxic Upon Ingestion |
| Usage Hazard - Cons Remarks | The seeds are extremely poisonous. |
Fauna, Pollination and Dispersal
| Fauna Pollination Dispersal Associated Fauna | Bird-Attracting (Flowers), Butterfly-Attracting |
|---|
Plant Care and Propagation
| Light Preference | Semi-Shade, Full Sun |
|---|---|
| Water Preference | Moderate Water |
| Plant Growth Rate | Fast |
| Rootzone Tolerance | Fertile Loamy Soils, Moist Soils, Well-Drained Soils |
| Propagation Method | Seed, Storage Organ (Tuberous Root), Stem Cutting |
Foliar
| Foliage Retention | Evergreen |
|---|---|
| Mature Foliage Colour(s) | Green |
| Foliar Type | Simple / Unifoliate |
| Foliar Arrangement Along Stem | Opposite |
| Foliar Attachment to Stem | Petiolate |
| Foliar Shape(s) | |
| Foliar Venation | Pinnate / Net |
| Foliar Margin | Entire |
| Foliar Apex - Tip | Acuminate, Acute |
| Foliar Base | Cordate, Truncate / Square |
Non - Foliar and Storage
| Stem Type & Modification | Herbaceous |
|---|---|
| Root Type | Underground (Tap Root) |
| Specialised Storage Organ(s) | Underground (Root Tuber) |
Floral (Angiosperm)
| Flower & Plant Sexuality | Bisexual Flowers , Bisexual Flowers |
| Flower Colour(s) | Purple, Red, White, Yellow / Golden |
|---|
| Flower Texture(s) | Smooth |
| Flower Grouping | Cluster / Inflorescence |
| Flower Location | Terminal |
| Flower Symmetry | Radial |
| Individual Flower Shape | Trumpet-shaped |
| Inflorescence Type | Cyme |
| Flower Lifespan on Plant | 1 Night |
| Flowering Habit | Polycarpic |
Fruit, Seed and Spore
| Mature Fruit Colour(s) | Black, Brown |
|---|---|
| Mature Fruit Texture(s) | Rough, Wrinkled |
| Fruit Classification | Simple Fruit |
| Fruit Type | |
| Mature Seed Colour(s) | Black |
| Seed Quantity Per Fruit | Few (1-5) |
References
| References | Missouri Botanical Garden (continuously updated), Mirabilis jalapa - Plant Finder. https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?taxonid=282898. Accessed 11 January 2022. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (continuously updated). Plants of the World Online | Kew Science. https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:162591-2. Accessed 7 January 2022. Stemmerik, J.F. (1960). Nyctaginaceae. Flora of Malesiana - Series 1, Spermatophyta, 6(1), 450 - 468. Westra, L.Y.Th. & Stoffers, A.L. (1980). Ncytaginaceae. Floral of Netherlands Antilles, 2(2), 167 - 181. |
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Image Repository
Others
| Master ID | 933 |
|---|---|
| Species ID | 2227 |
| Flora Disclaimer | The information in this website has been compiled from reliable sources, such as reference works on medicinal plants. It is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment and NParks does not purport to provide any medical advice. Readers should always consult his/her physician before using or consuming a plant for medicinal purposes. |
