The Collaborative International Dictionary
marvel of Peru \marvel of Peru\, marvel-of-Peru \marvel-of-Peru\ n. (Bot.) A common garden plant ( Mirabilis jalapa or Mirabilis uniflora) of North America having fragrant red or purple or yellow or white flowers that open in late afternoon; called also four-o'clock. See four-o'clock.
Syn: common four-o'clock, marvel of Peru, Mirabilis jalapa, Mirabilis uniflora.
Four-o'clock \Four"-o'clock`\, n.
(Bot.) A plant of the genus Mirabilis. There are about half a dozen species, natives of the warmer parts of America. The common four-o'clock is M. Jalapa. Its flowers are white, yellow, and red, and open toward sunset, or earlier in cloudy weather; hence the name. It is also called marvel of Peru, and afternoon lady.
(Zo["o]l.) The friar bird; -- so called from its cry, which resembles these words.
Wiktionary
n. ''Mirabilis jalapa'', an ornamental flowering plant.
Usage examples of "marvel of peru".
It was still, and the fragrance of the tobacco plant and the marvel of Peru floated in at the open window.
Kovrin remembered the raptures of the previous summer when there had been the same scent of the marvel of Peru and the moon had shone in at the window.