Mimosa pigra L.

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Photo: Bart Wursten
Zambezi River, Zambezi National Park

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Synonyms:	Mimosa asperata L. Mimosa pellita sensu Brenan
Common names:	Giant sensitive plant (English)
Frequency:
Status:
Description:	Shrub, sometimes scrambling. Stems and branches armed with short, broad, slightly curved thorns. Leaves sensitive, twice compound with 6-14 pairs of pinnae with a slender spine on the rhachis between each pair. Flowers in subspherical heads, c. 1 cm in diameter, in the upper leaf axils, mauve or pink. Pods in clusters, covered in golden-brown, bristly hairs.
Notes:
Derivation of specific name:
Habitat:
Flowering time:	Dec - Apr
Worldwide distribution:	Native to tropical America (Mexico and Cuba to N Peru and NE Argentina) and now a pantropical invasive species.
Botswana distribution:	N
Growth form(s):
Endemic status:
Red data list status:
Insects associated with this species:
Spot characters:	Display spot characters for this species
Literature:	Brenan, J.P.M. (1970). Mimosoideae Flora Zambesiaca 3(1) Pages 48 - 49. (Includes a picture). Burrows, J.E., Burrows, S.M., Lötter, M.C. & Schmidt, E. (2018). Trees and Shrubs Mozambique Publishing Print Matters (Pty), Cape Town. Page 211. (Includes a picture). Curtis, B.A. & Mannheimer, C.A. (2005). Tree Atlas of Namibia National Botanic Research Institute, Windhoek Pages 186 - 187. (Includes a picture). Drummond, R.B. (1972). A list of Rhodesian Legumes. Kirkia 8(2) Page 215. Drummond, R.B. (1975). A list of trees, shrubs and woody climbers indigenous or naturalised in Rhodesia. Kirkia 10(1) Page 241. Henderson, L. (2001). Alien weeds and invasive plants Plant Protection Research Institute Handbook No. 12. Plant Protection Research Institute, Agricultural Research Council, South Africa. Page 119. (Includes a picture). Mannheimer, C. & Curtis B. (2009). Le Roux and Müller's Field Guide to the Trees and Shrubs of Namibia Macmillan Education, Windhoek, Namibia. Pages 124 - 125. (Includes a picture). Mapaura, A. & Timberlake, J. (eds) (2004). A checklist of Zimbabwean vascular plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 33 Sabonet, Pretoria and Harare Page 45. Pickering, H. & Roe, E. (2009). Wild Flowers of the Victoria Falls Area Helen Pickering, London Page 75. (Includes a picture). Setshogo, M.P. (2005). Preliminary checklist of the plants of Botswana. Sabonet Report no. 37. Sabonet, Pretoria and Gaborone Page 69. Timberlake, J.R. & Childes, S.L. (2004). Biodiversity of the Four Corners Area: Technical Reviews Volume Two (Chapter 5-15) Appendix 5-1: Plant Checklist Occasional Publications in Biodiversity 15 Page 210.

Other sources of information about Mimosa pigra:

Our websites:

Flora of Burundi: Mimosa pigra
Flora of Caprivi: Mimosa pigra
Flora of Malawi: Mimosa pigra
Flora of Mozambique: Mimosa pigra
Flora of Zambia: Mimosa pigra
Flora of Zimbabwe: Mimosa pigra

External websites:

African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Mimosa pigra
African Plant Database: Mimosa pigra
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Mimosa pigra
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Mimosa pigra
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Mimosa pigra
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
iNaturalist: Mimosa pigra
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Mimosa pigra
JSTOR Plant Science: Mimosa pigra
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Mimosa pigra
Plants of the World Online: Mimosa pigra
Tropicos: Mimosa pigra
Wikipedia: Mimosa pigra