Mirabilis jalapa (Four O'clock Flower)

Native from Mexico to Nicaragua, this plant is a perennial herb with a thick, tuberous root. Introduced far beyond its native range, it is now widely established in tropical and warm temperate regions. Its trumpet-shaped flowers open in the late afternoon or evening and wilt by the following morning. They can release a sweet fragrance, although some plants have little noticeable scent. The colorful flower tubes are formed from fused sepals; the flowers lack true petals. A single plant can bear flowers of different colors, including striped or speckled blooms. Its wrinkled, dark fruits each enclose one seed. The roots and seeds are poisonous if eaten and can cause digestive upset; handling the roots may irritate the skin. Photographed in the Valle del Cauca, Colombia.