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Evening wonder
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The `four O' clock' flower plant is a vibrant shrub
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MIRABILIS JALAPA (Latin name, meaning wonderful) is also known as the `marvel of Peru'. The plant has tubular flowers in hues of pink, yellow, white, scarlet and crimson that are borne in clusters. Flowers bloom late in the evening and remain open in the night and close by morning, which gave it its common name, the `four O' clock' flower.
Popularly known as Nalumani Poo in Tamil, Anthimalari in Malayalam, Madyana Malliga in Kannada and Chandrakantha in Telugu, it is a small herbaceous shrub with tuberous roots. Belonging to the family Nyctaginaceae, it grows about 60 cm in height and bears smooth ovate-lanceolate leaves. The lower ones are stalked and the upper ones sessile. Many gardeners treat this plant as an annual.
But it is in the rainy season that the plant produces more flowers. One sometimes comes across individual Mirabilis plants bearing flowers of many hues. Some gardeners believe that it is because of its ability to bear flowers of different colours on an individual plant and the flowers in which the corolla is replaced by coloured calyx, that the plant is treated as a marvel.
The plant is used for flowerbeds, borders, rockeries and in pots. In our country, the plant has acquired medicinal values. It is used as a supportive, laxative and cure for scabies and itches.
The plant is propagated through black hard coated seeds, which easily germinate, and tubers. It requires little attention, but water frequently in hot weather.
CHITRA RADHAKRISHNAN
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