{{Short description|Species of flowering plant}} {{Speciesbox |image = SWEET FOUR-O’CLOCK (7690803034).jpg |image_caption = |genus = Mirabilis |species = longiflora |authority = L. }}
'''''Mirabilis longiflora''''', also known as the '''sweet four o'clock'''<ref>{{PLANTS|id=MILO2|taxon=Mirabilis longiflora|accessdate=13 July 2015}}</ref> or the '''long-flowered four o'Clock''',<ref name=wild>[https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=MILO2 Mirabilis longiflora] Flora of North America (2019) Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA. Retrieved 8 April 2024.</ref> is a species of flowering plant native to the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. The flowers open in the late afternoon and bloom through the night, hence the name.
==Description== left|thumb|Flowers It is a herbaceous, tender perennial species that grows up to 150 cm high (5 feet). It has upright, thin stems that branch densely from the base. Petiolate leaves between 6 and 11.5 cm long and 3 to 7 cm wide in ovate or lanceo-ovate shape, bright green in color.
===Inflorescences=== The inflorescences are terminal or axillary, very compact, with linear and foliar bracts. The involvements are bell-shaped, 1 to 1.5 cm long, with unequal triangular or slightly lanceolate lobes. The flower has a perianth 8 to 17 cm long, 5 stamens, brush-shaped stigma. The fruit is an elliptical or oblong dark-colored achene about 8 mm long by 5 mm wide.
Flower colour is white to pinkish with a reddish or purplish throat. This species is a nocturnal flowerer, whose long, narrow, strongly-scented, tubular flowers (approaching 17 centimeters in maximum length) exhale a fragrant aroma at nights.<ref name=wild/>
==Distribution and habitat== Native to southwestern United States, from Arizona to Texas and northern Mexico, it is found in scrubby canyons and riverbanks.<ref name=wild/>
==Gallery== <gallery> SWEET FOUR O'CLOCK (Mirabilis longiflora) (7-14-11) patagonia-sonoita creek preserve, scc, az -01 (5937533729).jpg|Flower detail Mirabilis longiflora 01.JPG|Grown in clumps at the University of Latvia Botanical Garden Mirabilis longiflora0.jpg|Emerging flower Mirabilis longiflora5.jpg|Long tubular flowers Mirabilis longiflora - Flickr - peganum.jpg|As a rock garden plant on raised a garden bed </gallery>
==References== {{Commons category|Mirabilis longiflora}} {{Reflist}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q2356547}}
longiflora Category:Night-blooming plants Category:Botanical taxa named by Carl Linnaeus Category:Garden plants of North America Category:Flora of Arizona Category:Flora of Texas Category:Flora of Mexico Category:Flora of Northwestern Mexico