Mirabilis laevis (Wishbone Bush, California Four O'Clock)

 3/10/17 Walker Canyon, Temescal Mountains, Lake Elsinore, Riverside County, CA

 3/1/19 Walker Canyon Trail, Temescal Mountains, Lake Elsinore, Riverside County, CA

 4/27/03 Gabrielino Trail, JPL to Oakwilde, San Gabriel Mountains, Los Angeles County, CA

4/27/03 Gabrielino Trail, JPL to Oakwilde

5/19/01 Gabrielino Trail, JPL to Oakwilde

 

4/3/05 Grotto Trail, Circle X Ranch, Santa Monica Mountains 
National Recreation Area, Ventura County, CA 

4/30/00 Gabrielino Trail, JPL to Oakwilde, San Gabriel Mountains, Los Angeles County, CA

3/23/19 Harford Springs Reserve, Gavilan Hills, Riverside County, CA

LIFE LIST NOTES:

COMMON NAME: Wishbone Bush, California Four O'Clock

SPECIES: Mirabilis laevis

FAMILY: Nyctaginaceae (Four O'Clock Family)

LIFE LIST DATE: 4/30/2000

LOCATION: Gabrielino Trail, JPL to Oakwilde, Lower Arroyo Seco, San Gabriel Mountains, Los Angeles County, CA

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Treatment from the Jepson Manual (1993):

Stem trailing to ascending, < 8 dm, somewhat woody, aging grayish, scabrous or ± glandular-hairy

Leaf: blade 1–3.5 cm, ovate, puberulent or glandular-hairy

Inflorescence: involucres clustered near ends of branches, bell-shaped; bracts 5, 5–8 mm, > 1/2 fused, lobes ovate; flower 1 per involucre

Flower: perianth 5–14 mm, broadly funnel-shaped, pink to purple-red (white)

Fruit ± 5 mm, ovoid, generally lightly dotted or wrinkled, glabrous

Ecology: Common. Grassy areas, chaparral, dunes, dry rocky areas and washes

Elevation: < 1000 m.  

Bioregional distribution: Central Coast, South Coast Ranges, Southwestern California, w edge Desert 

Distribution outside California: Baja California

Flowering time: Mostly Dec–Jun

Synonyms: M. laevis (Benth.) Curran var. laevis misapplied; var. cedrosensis (Standl.) J.F. Macbr
Poorly distinguished morphologically and geographically from M. bigelovii; these may prove to be infraspecific entities in a moree broadly conceived species

Horticultural information: DRN, DRY, SUN: 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24. 

Recent taxonomic note: Mirabilis laevis (Benth.) Curran var. crassifolia (Choisy) Spellenb.