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Glite Dictionary
Mirabilis californica

Mirabilis californica

9.9
A California plant with purple red flowers that open in the late afternoon
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : Mirabilis californica
  • The vibrant purple-red blooms of Mirabilis californica appear in the late afternoon.

Examples

  • Gardeners in California often plant Mirabilis californica for its colorful flowers and drought tolerance.

  • During our hike, we spotted patches of Mirabilis californica growing by the roadside.

  • The Mirabilis californica blooms beautifully in the summer.

  • Many gardeners love the Mirabilis californica for its vibrant colors.

  • Gardeners in California often plant Mirabilis californica for its colorful flowers and drought tolerance.

  • The vibrant purple-red blooms of Mirabilis californica appear in the late afternoon.

  • During our hike, we spotted patches of Mirabilis californica growing by the roadside.

Synonyms

California four o'clock
vsMirabilis californica
  • US
9.1

A wildflower with purple-red flowers that open in the late afternoon

is the formal scientific name for the same plant
Mirabilis laevis
vsMirabilis californica
  • Specialized
9.9

A flowering plant native to California and nearby areas with purple red flowers

is native only to California rather than to wider surrounding regions

Surface Forms

Mirabilis californica singular
Mirabilis californicas plural

Morphology

Mirabilis + californica

The name combines a genus label 'Mirabilis' (a flowering plant) with an adjectival epithet 'californica' that transparently signals a relation to California, so the overall sense 'a Mirabilis species from California' can be inferred from the parts. However, this inference depends on knowing taxonomic naming conventions and recognizing Latin adjectival forms (which many B1 learners may lack), so the relation is only partially predictable.

Etymology

Mirabilis californica comes from Latin: Mirabilis means 'wonderful' and californica means 'from California'. People also call it 'California four o'clock' because its purple-red flowers open in the late afternoon, so the name helps you remember it is a lovely California flower that blooms later in the day.