Mimosa pudica
Content
Description
Annual or perennial, sometimes subshrubby herb, erect to scrambling, sometimes rooting at the nodes, up to 1 m high;
Leaves subdigitately pinnate, petiole furrowed, hispid, (2.5-)3-5.5 cm, without prickles at the junctions of the pinnae, but sometimes with some recurved prickles in between;
Inflorescences consisting of axillary, pedunculate, solitary or paired glomerules.
Flowers sessile, bisexual, tetramerous, lilac, pink or bluish purple.
Stamens 4.
Ovary glabrous, 0.3-0.6 mm.
Seeds light brown, suborbicular to broadly elliptic, flattened, 2.5-2.9 by 2-2.3 mm.
Distribution
Asia-Tropical, Pantropical present, South America present
Pantropical weed of South American origin. The three varieties are all found in Malesia.
Uses
Used as cover-crop at roadsides in Thailand; roots used medicinally in the Philippines; contains tannins.
Citation
Verdc. 1979: Manual New Guin. Legum.: 148
Blanco 1845: Fl. Filip., ed. 2: 505
Nielsen 1981: p. 35. – In: Fl. Camb. Laos Vietnam: pl. 5, 15-2
Willd. 1806 – In: Sp. Pl., ed. 4: 1032
Backer & Bakh. f. 1963 – In: Fl. Java: 561
Blanco 1879 – In: Fl. Filip., ed. 3: 134
Brenan 1955: Kew Bull.: 184
L. 1985 – In: Fl. Thailand: 152
L. 1983 – In: Fl. Nouv.- Caled. et Depend.: 20