Diagnostic description ⁴

Mimosa diplotricha C. Wright ex Sauv., Anal. Acad. Ci. Habana 5: 405. 1868.

Fig. 119. E-H

Scandent shrub, much branched from the base, that supports itself on other plants by means of spines that are borne along the length of its stem and leaf axes, attainig 1.5-2 m in length. Stems pentagonal, pilose, with numerous recurved spines along the angles. Leaves alternate, 5-13 cm long, bipinnate; pinnae 6 or 7, pairs opposite; leaflets opposite, 18-15 pairs per pinna, 2.5-4.2 mm long, oblong, chartaceous, the apex obtuse, the base asymmetrically obtusetruncate; both surfaces strigulose; lower surface pale green, dull, with the midvein sunken; rachis very slender, pilose, with some recurved spines; stipules subulate, ca. 4.5 mm long; stipels linear, ca. 1.5 mm long. Heads 7-10 mm in diameter, axillary; peduncles with numerous recurved spines, 6-15 mm long. Calyx ca. 0.2 mm long, glabrous; corolla pink, infundibuliform, ca. 1.2 mm long, with 4(5) lobes; filaments pink, 3-5 mm long. Legumes usually 10 or more per head, oblong or linear, flattened, straight or slightly curved, 10-24 × 3-4.3 mm, chartaceous, covered with spines, especially along the margin. Seeds 3-8, 2.3-3 mm long, flattened, ovate or rhombic, dark brown.

Phenology: Collected in flower in December.

Status: Exotic, adventive, of recent introduction, uncommon.

Selected Specimens Examined: Acevedo-Rdgz., P. 7045.

Distribution ⁵

Distribution: On roadsides and in pastures at lower and middle elevations. Also in Cuba, Hispaniola; Mexico, Central and South America.

Public Forest: El Yunque.

Sources and Credits

1. (c) Challiyan at ml.wikipedia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/29/Giant_Sensitive_plant_before.jpg
2. (c) 2010 Moorea Biocode, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://calphotos.berkeley.edu/cgi/img_query?seq_num=383682&one=T
3. (c) "<a href=""http://nt.ars-grin.gov/"">ARS Systematic Botany and Mycology Laboratory</a>. Asia, S.E. .", some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://plants.usda.gov/java/largeImage?imageID=midi8_001_ahp.tif
4. (c) Pedro Acevedo-Rodríguez, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://eol.org/data_objects/28435417
5. (c) Pedro Acevedo-Rodríguez, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://eol.org/data_objects/28435882

More Info

• iNat taxon page
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