Mirabilis hirsuta.© 2009 K. Chayka.minnesotawildflowers.info (Accessed 11/2014).

Mirabilis hirsuta is a perennial herb to 1 m tall, stems hairy, especially around nodes. 

Leaves opposite, often stalkless, blade 1-2 cm wide, lance-shaped. 

Flowers pink, petals none, calyx flower-like, tubular, 1 cm long, 5 lobes, tube wrapped tightly around ovary, flaring above in a cup-like, 5-lobed bract ca 0.5 cm wide, glandular-hairy, becoming 1-2 cm wide, flowers; blooms June-Oct.; inflorescence branched, stems hairy, hairs 0.1-0.2 cm long, flowers in terminal clusters. 

Fruit dry, cupped within bract, hairy, 1-seeded. 

Origin: Western North America. 

Wetland status: UPL. 

Frequency in NYC: Very infrequent. 

Habitat: Dry, open areas.