Mimosa pigra L.

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Photo: Bart Wursten
Along road no4, Gorongosa National Park

Photo: Bart Wursten
Hippo House, Gorongosa National Park

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Species details: Click on each item to see an explanation of that item (Note: opens a new window)

Synonyms:	Mimosa asperata L. Mimosa pellita sensu Brenan
Common names:	Giant sensitive plant (English)
Frequency:	Locally common in the Zambezi valley
Status:	Introduced
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:	On sandbanks and alluvial soils near rivers, lakes floodplains and swamps.
Altitude range: (metres)	Up to 1200 m
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.
Zimbabwe distribution:	N,W
Growth form:	s
Endemic status:
Red data list status:
Insects (whose larvae eat this species):
Spot characters:	Display spot characters for this species
Content last updated:	Wednesday 24 May 2006
Literature:	Henderson, L. (2001). Alien weeds and invasive plants Plant Protection Research Institute Handbook No. 12. Plant Protection Research Institute, Agricultural Research Council, S Africa. Page 119. (Includes a picture). Pickering, H. & Roe, E. (2009). Wild Flowers of the Victoria Falls Area Helen Pickering, London Page 75. (Includes a picture).

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Other sources of information about Mimosa pigra:

Flora of Mozambique: Mimosa pigra
African Plant Database: Mimosa pigra
Biodiversity Explorer (Biodiversity of southern Africa): Mimosa pigra
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Mimosa pigra
ePIC (electronic Plant Information Center): Mimosa pigra
Flora Zambesiaca web site: Mimosa pigra
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
GRIN (Germplasm Resources Information Network) taxonomy for plants report for Mimosa pigra
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Mimosa pigra
JSTOR Plant Science: Mimosa pigra
Kew Herbarium catalogue: Mimosa pigra
Tropicos: Mimosa pigra
West African Plants database: Mimosa pigra