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This genus is accepted, and its native range is America, Tanzania to Mozambique, Madagascar, Indian Subcontinent, Andaman Islands.

[LOWO]

Legumes of the World. Edited by G. Lewis, B. Schrire, B. MacKinder & M. Lock. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. (2005)

Habit
Trees, shrubs or herbs
Ecology
Seasonally dry tropical and subtropical forest, woodland, wooded grassland, thorn forest, tropical montane woodland, temperate grassland and desert
Distribution
most in the Neotropics: centred in Mexico (62 endemic spp., 15 spp. extending to USA and 7 spp. to C America [3 and 2 spp. endemic to each region respectively]); Caribbean (8 endemic spp.); 7 spp. disjunct between Mexico-C America-Caribbean and S America; 20 spp. widespread in New World, 3 of which are pantropical weeds; c. 350 spp. endemic in S America in a) Brazil (S of Amazonia) and adjacent Paraguay, Argentina and Uruguay; b) Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia; c) Orinoco basin. 35 spp. endemic in the Palaeotropics (30 spp. in Madagascar; 2 spp. in SE tropical Africa and 3 spp. endemic to the Indian subcontinent)
Note
Placed in the Piptadenia group, allied to Parapiptadenia, Piptadenia, Stryphnodendron, Microlobius and Anadenanthera (Luckow et al., 2003)

The tribe Mimoseae (sensu Bentham, 1875) is retained here simply as a matter of convenience. All recent phylogenetic analyses indicate that Ingeae and Acacieae are derived from within Mimoseae (Chappill & Maslin, 1995; Käss & Wink, 1996; Luckow et al., 2000; Bruneau et al., 2001; Luckow et al., 2003; Herendeen et al., 2003a), making it a paraphyletic group at best. The most recent studies indicate that it may not even be monophyletic with respect to the Caesalpinioideae (Luckow et al., 2000; Bruneau et al., 2001; Luckow et al., 2003).

Although the outline of a new tribal classification of the mimosoids is emerging, we await better-supported phylogenies (based on more extensive data) before formalising new stable and useful groups. Some parts of the classification proposed here are better supported than others. Notably, the basal branches in Fig. 24 are poorly supported in most analyses and the relationships among the groups are likely to change as we acquire more data. As presently indicated (Luckow et al., 2003), the type genus Mimosa falls within the derived Piptadenia group which is in turn sister, and basally branching, to elements of Acacia and Ingeae (Fig. 24). A more narrowly circumscribed Mimoseae sens. strict. will thus leave the bulk of Mimoseae sens. lat. (i.e., as treated here) in need of new tribal allocation. The most conspicuous difference between the classification presented here and that of Lewis & Elias (1981) is the inclusion of tribe Parkieae within Mimoseae. The former was circumscribed based on imbricate aestivation of the calyx, and was considered the basal tribe within the Mimosoideae (Elias, 1981a). Recent phylogenetic analyses (Chappill & Maslin, 1995; Luckow et al., 2000; Bruneau et al., 2001; Luckow et al., 2003; Herendeen et al., 2003a), indicate that the two genera in the Parkieae, Parkia and Pentaclethra, are not sister taxa (Fig. 24). Pentaclethra is nested within Mimoseae in Luckow et al. (2000), but is either sister to caesalpinioid taxa in Bruneau et al. (2001) and Herendeen et al. (2003a), or part of a basal polytomy with Mimoseae and caesalpinioid taxa (Luckow et al., 2003). Both Parkia and Pentaclethra are included in the tribe Mimoseae pending additional data and tribal recircumscription.

Recent work (Luckow et al., submitted a) also indicates that the monospecific tribe Mimozygantheae should be subsumed in the Mimoseae near Piptadeniopsis and Prosopidastrum, currently in the Prosopis group. Otherwise, the informal groups within the Mimoseae recognised by Lewis & Elias (1981) are relatively well-supported by current phylogenies and only a few departures have been made from their system. Where relationships are either poorly supported or unresolved, the classification of Lewis & Elias (1981) is retained. The Xylia group is dismantled and the Adenanthera group recircumscribed to include Calpocalyx and Xylia . Desmanthus has been removed from the Dichrostachys group, as has Neptunia, in agreement with recent molecular and morphological phylogenetic studies (Harris et al., 1994; Hughes, 1998; Luckow, 1995, 1997). A new group is erected to accommodate Piptadeniastrum which is well separated from Newtonia in the most recent phylogeny (Luckow et al., 2000; 2003), and another to accommodate Cylicodiscus, which is more closely related to the clade containing the Prosopis, Leucaena, Dichrostachys, and Piptadenia groups than it is to the Newtonia group. Neptunia is well supported as sister to Prosopidastrum in recent analyses (Luckow et al., 2003) and is included in the Prosopis group here. Relationships of genera in the Prosopis group are not resolved, but the group is retained here as there is no evidence that it is not monophyletic. Genera newly described since 1981 include Alantsilodendron, Calliandropsis, Kanaloa, and Lemurodendron. Alantsilodendron and Calliandropsis are placed in the Dichrostachys group, and Kanaloa in the Leucaena group based on phylogenetic analyses (Hughes, 1998; Luckow, 1997; Luckow et al., 2000). Lemurodendron is tentatively included in the Newtonia group as suggested by Villiers & Guinet (1989). As treated here the Mimoseae comprises 40 genera and from (859)– 869–(879) species.

[FZ]

Leguminosae, J.P.M. Brenan. Flora Zambesiaca 3:1. 1970

Morphology General Habit
Mostly herbs or shrubs, rarely trees, sometimes scrambling or climbing, prickles usually present.
Morphology Leaves
Leaves 2-pinnate, or the pinnae seeming almost digitate on account of the very short rhachis, rarely (not in our species) absent or modified to phyllodes; pinnae each with few to many pairs of leaflets.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescences of ovoid or sub-globose heads or (not in our species) spikes, which are axillary, solitary or more usually clustered and often ± aggregated.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers hermaphrodite or male, small, sessile.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Calyx very small, irregularly laciniate or denticulate in our species.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Corolla gamopetalous, 4- or sometimes 3-, 5- or 6-lobed.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens as many as or twice as many as the corolla-lobes, fertile.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens Anthers
Anthers without any apical gland.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Pods straight to circinate, flat, in our species ± bristly or prickly; at maturity the valves between the margins splitting ± transversely into 1-seeded segments or rarely (not in our species) remaining entire; exocarp (at least in our species) not separating from the endocarp; margins persistent.

[FTEA]

Leguminosae, J. B. Gillett, R. M. Polhill & B. Verdcourt. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1971

Morphology General Habit
Mostly herbs or shrubs, rarely trees, sometimes scrambling or climbing; prickles usually present
Morphology Leaves
Leaves bipinnate, or the pinnae seeming almost digitate on account of the very short rhachis, rarely (not in our species) absent or modified to phyllodes; pinnae each with few to many pairs of leaflets
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescences of ovoid or subglobose heads or (not in our species) spikes, which are axillary, solitary or more usually clustered and often ± aggregated
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers hermaphrodite or ♂, small, sessile
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Calyx very small, irregularly laciniate or denticulate in our species
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Corolla gamopetalous, 4- or sometimes 3-, 5- or 6-lobed
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens as many as or twice as many as the corolla-lobes, fertile
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens Anthers
Anthers without any apical gland
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Pods straight to circinate, flat, in our species ± bristly or prickly; at maturity the valves between the sutures splitting ± transversely into 1-seeded segments or rarely (not in our species) remaining entire; exocarp (at least in our species) not separating from the endocarp; sutures persistent.

[FSOM]

M. Thulin et al. Flora of Somalia, Vol. 1-4 [updated 2008] https://plants.jstor.org/collection/FLOS

Morphology General Habit
Herbs or shrubs, rarely trees; prickles usually present
Morphology Leaves
Leaves bipinnate, rarely (not in Somalia) absent or modified to phyllodes
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Flowers bisexual or polygamous, sessile, in heads or (not in Somalia) spikes
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Calyx very small
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Corolla (3–)4(–6)-lobed
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens as many as or twice as many as the corolla-lobes; anthers eglandular at apex
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Pod straight or curved, flat, at maturity usually splitting ± transversely between persistent sutures into 1-seeded segments.
Distribution
Some 600 species throughout the tropics, the vast majority in Central and South America.

[LOWO]
Use
Used as ornamentals, living fences, soil binders, fodder, green manure, shade plants, fuelwood and medicine (e.g., M. pudica L., the sensitive plant, sleeping grass, humble plant ); many species are weedy, causing problems in agricultural land

Native to:

Alabama, Andaman Is., Argentina Northeast, Argentina Northwest, Arizona, Arkansas, Aruba, Assam, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil North, Brazil Northeast, Brazil South, Brazil Southeast, Brazil West-Central, Cayman Is., Colombia, Colorado, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, East Himalaya, Ecuador, El Salvador, Florida, French Guiana, Galápagos, Georgia, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Illinois, India, Jamaica, Kansas, Kentucky, Leeward Is., Louisiana, Madagascar, Mexico Central, Mexico Gulf, Mexico Northeast, Mexico Northwest, Mexico Southeast, Mexico Southwest, Mississippi, Mozambique, Nepal, Netherlands Antilles, New Mexico, Nicaragua, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Pakistan, Panamá, Paraguay, Peru, Puerto Rico, Southwest Caribbean, Suriname, Tanzania, Tennessee, Texas, Trinidad-Tobago, Turks-Caicos Is., Uruguay, Venezuela, Venezuelan Antilles, Virginia, West Himalaya, Windward Is.

Introduced into:

Angola, Benin, Bismarck Archipelago, Borneo, Botswana, Burkina, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Provinces, Caprivi Strip, Caroline Is., Central African Repu, Chad, Chagos Archipelago, China South-Central, China Southeast, Christmas I., Comoros, Congo, Cook Is., Egypt, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Gulf of Guinea Is., Hainan, Hawaii, Ivory Coast, Jawa, Kenya, Korea, KwaZulu-Natal, Laos, Lesser Sunda Is., Liberia, Malawi, Malaya, Maldives, Mali, Maluku, Marianas, Marquesas, Marshall Is., Mauritania, Mauritius, Myanmar, Namibia, Nansei-shoto, Nauru, New Caledonia, New Guinea, New South Wales, Nicobar Is., Niger, Nigeria, Niue, Northern Provinces, Northern Territory, Ogasawara-shoto, Philippines, Queensland, Rodrigues, Rwanda, Réunion, Samoa, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Society Is., Solomon Is., Somalia, South China Sea, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Sulawesi, Sumatera, Swaziland, Taiwan, Thailand, Togo, Tokelau-Manihiki, Tonga, Tuamotu, Tubuai Is., Uganda, Vanuatu, Vietnam, Wallis-Futuna Is., Western Australia, Wisconsin, Zambia, Zaïre, Zimbabwe

Mimosa L. appears in other Kew resources:

Date Reference Identified As Barcode Type Status
Feb 1, 2010 Huamantupa, I. [3756], Peru K000661108
Feb 1, 2010 Huamantupa, I. [6627], Peru K000661107
Feb 1, 2010 Valenzuela, L. [5861], Peru K000661109
Apr 1, 2006 Silva, J.M. [3836], Paraná K000864997
Oct 18, 2005 Luz, A.A. [127], Minas Gerais K000864995
Jan 1, 1984 Burchell, W.J. [8238], Goiás K000850609
Rico, L. [1327], Bolivia K000295129
Brooks, R.R. [655], Goiás K000850647
Pirani, J.R. [4803], Mato Grosso do Sul K000850629
Silva, M. [182], Roraima K000850635
Heringer, E.P. [14107], Goiás K000850632
Souza, J.P. [3970], Goiás K000850649
Brooks, R.R. [603], Goiás K000850657
Vargas, A. [19], Mexico K000478810
Vargas, A. [18], Mexico K000478809
Silva, J.M. [3876], Paraná K000850623
Cavalcanti, T.B. [1628], Goiás K000850620
Delpetre, P.G. [10156], Goiás K000850636
Jesus, N.G. [832], Bahia K000864996
Nascimento, M.S.B. [508], Piauí K000850614
Cavalcanti, T.B. [1626], Goiás K000850631
Delpetre, P.G. [9629], Goiás K000850653
Silva, M.A. [4765], Brazil K000850618
Heringer, E.P. [14180], Goiás K000850633
Lindeman, J.C. [2376], Paraná K000850625
Irwin, H.S. [23843], Minas Gerais K000864999
Queiroz, L.P. [12430], Rio Grande do Sul K000850648
Cavalcanti, T.B. [1226], Brazil K000850610
Mendonça, R.C. [2251], Goiás K000850634
Lindeman, J.C. [3069], Paraná K000850624
Cavalcanti, T.B. [1622], Goiás K000850616
Queiroz, L.P. [12411], Rio Grande do Sul K000850628
Silva, A.S.L. [1964], Pará K000850630
Ferrucci, M.S. [4672], Bahia K000850642
Silva, J.M. [3839], Paraná K000850622

First published in Sp. Pl.: 516 (1753)

Accepted by

  • Forero, E. & Castellanos, C. (eds.) (2019). Estudios en Leguminosas Colombianas 3: 1-398. Academia Colombiana de ciencias exactas, físicas y naturales.
  • Nelson Sutherland, C.H. (2008). Catálogo de las plantes vasculares de Honduras. Espermatofitas: 1-1576. SERNA/Guaymuras, Tegucigalpa, Honduras.

Literature

Catálogo de Plantas y Líquenes de Colombia

  • WCVP (2021). World Checklist of Vascular Plants, version 2.0. Facilitated by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the Internet; http://wcvp.science.kew.org/ Retrieved 28 April 2021

Flora of West Tropical Africa

  • Benth. in Trans. Linn. Soc. 30: 338 (1875).
  • —F.T.A. 2: 335

Flora Zambesiaca

  • Gen. Pl. ed. 5: 233 (1754).
  • Sp. Pl. 1: 516 (1753)

Flora of Somalia

  • Flora Somalia, Vol 1, (1993) Author: by M. Thulin [updated by M. Thulin 2008]

Flora of Tropical East Africa

  • L., Gen. Pl., ed. 5: 233 (1754)
  • Sp. Pl.: 516 (1753)

Colombian resources for Plants made Accessible
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Flora Zambesiaca
Flora Zambesiaca
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

Flora of Somalia
Flora of Somalia
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

Flora of Tropical East Africa
Flora of Tropical East Africa
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

Herbarium Catalogue Specimens
Digital Image © Board of Trustees, RBG Kew http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Kew Backbone Distributions
The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Selected Plant Families 2021. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/
© Copyright 2017 World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone
The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Selected Plant Families 2021. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/
© Copyright 2017 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

Kew Science Photographs
Digital Image © Board of Trustees, RBG Kew http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Legumes of the World Online
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0