Allionia choisyi, Annual Windmills
Scientific Name: Allionia choisyi
Common Name: Annual Windmills
Also Called: Garapatilla, Smooth Trailing Four O'clock, Umbrellawort, Umbrella-wort
Family: Nyctaginaceae, Four O’clock Family
Synonyms: ()
Status: Native
Duration: Annual or perennial
Size: Up to 24 inches spreading several feet.
Growth Form: Forb/herb; vine-like, long trailing, hairy, sticky stems and leaves, stems may be reddish.
Leaves: Dull green, opposite, paired leaves unequal, basal leaves largest and broadest, trailing outer leaves become smaller and narrower, leaves often undulate, leaf margins, wavy (sinuate).
Flower Color: Pink, pale pink, white or magenta, perianth ("flowers") from leaf axils along trailing stems.
Flowering Season: July to October, May to September in Texas and nearly year-round in California.
Elevation: 2,500 to 5,000 feet.
Habitat Preferences: Open dry, sandy, gravelly areas.
Recorded Range: Annual Windmills is found in the southwestern United States in; AZ, CO, NM, TX, UT. In Arizona it is found in the north half and southeast parts of the state. It is also native to Mexico with its range extending south to Central and South America and in the West Indies.
North America & US County Distribution Map for Allionia choisyi.
U.S. Weed Information: No information available.
Invasive/Noxious Weed Information: No information available.
Wetland Indicator: No information available.
Threatened/Endangered Information: No information available.
Genus Information: 2 species in Allionia in the United States after several taxonomic revisions. Most Allionia species previously have been reclassified to the genus Mirabilis.
The Plant List includes 76 scientific plant names of species rank for the genus Allionia. Of these 3 are accepted species names.
Comments: Annual Windmills is similar to Trailing Windmills (Allionia incarnata), however Annual Windmills, as the name implies, is primarily an annual species in North America and with a much smaller perianth ("flower").