Definition

Noun: - A common garden plant native to North America, characterized by fragrant flowers that bloom in the late afternoon. The flowers can be red, purple, yellow, or white. This is the specific botanical name for the plant more commonly known as "four-o'clock".

Usage

• The term is used in formal, scientific, or botanical contexts to precisely identify this species of flowering plant.
• It is typically used by botanists, horticulturists, gardeners, and in academic writing.

Examples

• Scientific Context:
  • The study focused on the pollination habits of Mirabilis uniflora.
  • In the botanical garden, the section labeled Mirabilis uniflora was in full, fragrant bloom just after 4 PM.

Advanced Usage

• The name follows the binomial nomenclature system (Genus , species ). The species epithet "" suggests "single-flowered," though the plant often produces multiple flowers on a single stem.

Variants and Related Words

• Common Name: Four-o'clock (This is the standard common name for in everyday English).
• Genus Name: (This refers to the broader genus, which includes other species like , the common four-o'clock).
• Family: Nyctaginaceae (The plant family to which it belongs).

Synonyms

• Four-o'clock (n): The primary common name for this plant, derived from its characteristic late-afternoon blooming time.
• Marvel of Peru (n): A historical common name sometimes used, though it more accurately refers to .

Related Phrases/Idioms

• To bloom like a four-o'clock: An informal phrase suggesting something that appears or happens reliably at a specific, expected time, especially later in the day.
  • His energy seems to bloom like a four-o'clock, just in time for the evening events.

Noun

1. common garden plant of North America having fragrant red or purple or yellow or white flowers that open in late afternoon