Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Trailing Four O'Clock

The trailing four o'clock, also known as the windmill, 
is a ground hugging plant that grows in mats to three feet in length. It is related to the desert sand verbena which is also a member of the four o'clock family. The hairy, oval shaped leaves are green on top and silvery underneath and grow to two inches in length.
The leaves and stems are covered with sticky-glanded hairs. It blooms between March and October and has pink to purple flowers. The stem or inflorescence supports three separate flowers, connected by short bracts,  that appear to be one flower.
The flowers mature all at once in the morning and then shrivel by the next day.

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