MIMOSA

Mimosa L., Sp. Pl. 1: 516. 1753; Gen. Pl. ed. 5. 597. 1754; Fl. Pak. @ eFloras.org; Fl. China @ eFloras.org 10: 53.

Shrubs or herbs, rarely trees or climbers, usually armed. Stipules not spinescent, usually 2 (stipels) per pinna, small, caducous. Leaves bipinnate, often sensitive, rarely wanting or reduced to phyllodes. Heads dense globose or spikes cylindric, solitary or fasciculate, axillary, pedunculate. Flowers small, bisexual or polygamous, sessile, usually 4- merous, rarely 3-,5- or 6- merous. Calyx connate, campanulate, toothed, valvate. Petals more or less connate at base. Stamens as many as or twice as many as petals, free, exerted, often twice as long as corolla; anthers small, eglandular. Ovary sessile or shortly stipitate, ovules 2- many, placentation marginal; style filiform; stigma small, terminal. Legumes/ pods oblong or linear, compressed, membranous or leathery, made up of 1- seeded joints which separate when ripe from the persistent sutures/ margins. Seeds elliptic or orbicular, flat.

595 species

Mimosa pudica

Mimosa pudica L., Sp. Pl. 1: 518. 1753; Fl. Pak. @ eFloras.org; Fl. China @ eFloras.org 10: 53.

Herbs, diffuse, shrubby, to 2 m tall. Stems cylindric, branched, with reflexed bristles and scattered curved prickles. Stipules linear-lanceolate, 5-10 mm, bristly. Leaves bipinnate; pinnae and leaflets sensitive; pinnae usually 2 pairs, 2.5-8 cm long, sessile, digitate; leaflets 10-25 pairs, linear-lanceolate, sessile, 6-15 mm x 1.5-6 mm, coriaceous, apex acute, adaxially glabrous, abaxially slightly hispid, margin ciliate. Flowers in peduncled globose heads, peduncle 2-2.5 cm long, densely hairy; heads ca. 1 cm in diameter, pink, solitary or 2, axillary; bracts small, linear, acute. Flowers numerous, small, bisexual, sessile, 4-merous. Calyx minute, connate, campanulate, shortly toothed. Corolla pink, ca. 2-3 mm long, more or less connate at base, lobes 4, obtuse. Stamens 4, free, much exserted; anthers small, eglandular. Ovary shortly stipitate, glabrous, ovules 3 or 4, placentation marginal; style filiform; stigma small. Legumes in clusters of 2-8, 1-2 cm x 2-5 mm, flat, recurved, having 2-5 one-seeded parts, glabrous, light brown, 1- seeded segments fall away from persistent, bristly sutures. Seeds light brown, ovoid, 2-5 mm long.

Flowering and Fruiting: September to October
Common Names: Touch Me Not; Chhui-Mui, Lajwanti (Hindi)