PlantFiles: Trailing Windmills, Trailing Four O'clock, Umbella Wort
Allionia incarnata

Allionia, commonly known as
windmills or trailing four o'clock,
is a genus of two species
widespread in the western
hemisphere. They are unusual
in their blooms, which actually
consist of three separate flowers
appearing to be a single flower.

The plants are finely pubescent
annuals or short-lived perennials,
with trailing stems up to a meter
in length, often threading through
other vegetation. The leaves
range from oval to oblong, under
4 cm long.

The inflorescences are axillary,
consisting of three red-purple
flowers symmetrically arranged
and superficially seeming to be
a single flower 3-15 mm across.

The individual flowers are bisexual,
bilaterally symmetric, with a
distinct oblique funnel. The 5-7
stamens may be somewhat
exserted, along with the style.

The fruits have five ribs.

The range of Allionia incarnata L.
includes North America, the
West Indies, Central America,
and South America, while
Allionia choisyi Standley is
more restricted in North America,
occurring in Arizona, Utah, New
Mexico, and Texas.

The two species can be only be
reliably distinguished by
characteristics of their fruits,
and even those may be found
integrated where the species'
ranges overlap.

Linnaeus named the genus
after Italian botanist Carlo
Allioni (1725-1804).

Trailing Windmills, Trailing Four O'clock, Umbella Wort Allionia incarnata is native to Texas and other States.