- Region
- North America
- Origin
- Prairies and disturbed ground in central North America; naturalised elsewhere, including Europe
- Traditions
- Lakota medicine
North America · Herb · № 957
Mirabilis nyctaginea (syn. Allionia nyctaginea)
Herb · North America
Wild four-o'clock
Mirabilis nyctaginea (syn. Allionia nyctaginea)
Related to the marvel of Peru (Mirabilis jalapa), with a thick taproot and small pink flowers that open in the afternoon. Taken internally the root is strongly laxative.
Safety notes
External use only. Related species are poisonous and strongly laxative when swallowed. A broken bone needs a doctor. Traditional use is no proof of effect; consult a doctor or pharmacist if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, take medication or have a medical condition.
Cautions by tradition (1)
- Lakota (Teton Sioux) medicine: External use only. A broken bone needs a doctor.
Preparation
External: the grated root, or the root in fat, on the skin.
Use in traditions
Eagle Shield rubbed a broken bone three times a day with the root in fat and set the leg between splints of rawhide. Bear-with-White-Paw grated the root and laid it on swellings. Other peoples gave the powdered root for sore mouths in babies, and women drank a tea after childbirth.
Applications
Use by tradition
How different herbal traditions describe this herb. Amounts are traditional guidelines checked for obvious errors; they are not medical advice. For poisonous plants no dosage is given on purpose.
Lakota (Teton Sioux) medicine
Attributed effects
For broken bones (Eagle Shield) and swellings (Bear-with-White-Paw).
Preparation and amount
Rub the root in fat on a broken bone three times a day, with a rawhide splint; the grated root on a swelling.
Caution: External use only. A broken bone needs a doctor.