巴西含羞草 ba xi han xiu cao

Subshrubs or perennial herbs. Stems scandent or prostrate, to 5 m, 4-angulate, hirsute, with or without prickles along angles. Leaves 10-15 cm; petiole and rachis with 4 rows of recurved prickles; pinnae (3-)7 or 10 pairs, 2-4.5 cm; leaflets (11-)20-30 pairs per pinna, linear-oblong, 3-5 × 1-2 mm, both surfaces white villous. Heads 1 or 2, axillary, ca. 1 cm in diam. (including filaments); peduncles 5-10 mm. Flowers bisexual. Calyx inconspicuous, ca. 0.4 mm. Corolla narrowly funnel-shaped, ca. 2.5 mm, 4-lobed, outside slightly pubescent. Sta­mens 8; filaments pale purple-pink. Ovary ca. 1 mm. Legumes in clusters, slightly curved, oblong, 1.5-3.5 × 0.4-0.5 cm, with or without prickly bristles. Seeds yellow-brown, ca. 3.5 mm. 2n = 26*.

Cultivated or naturalized in Fujian, Guangdong, Hainan, Taiwan, and Yunnan [native to tropical America; introduced throughout the tropics].

This species is planted as a cover crop.

Lower Taxa

• Mimosa diplotricha var. diplotricha
• Mimosa diplotricha var. inermis (Adelbert) Veldkamp