Graceful Mimosa

Mimosa casta L. Sp. PI. 518. 1753
Mimosa dominiciana Desv. Ann. Sci. Nat. 9: 424. 1826.
Somewhat woody at base, the branches vine-like, 2-4 m. long, glabrous, prickly. Petioles
2-6 cm. long, prickly; pinnae 1 pair; leaflets 3 or 4 pairs, oblong or oblong-lanceolate, acute or
acuminate, 2-4 cm. long, thin, glabrous or with few, appressed bristles beneath, 3-5-nerved
at base, the margin with appressed bristles; peduncles very slender, about 2 cm. long, or shorter;
flowers capitate, in small heads, 4-parted; stamens 8; legume oblong, 2-4 cm. long, about 1
cm. wide, glabrous, the margin long-setose.
Type locality: India, according to Linnaeus, but doubtless Brazil. Distribution: Guadeloupe to Trinidad; Panama; Colombia; Brazil.

Perennial, Shrubs, Stems woody below, or from woody crown or caudex, Taproot present, Nodules present, Stems or branches arching, spreading or decumbent, Stems greater than 2 m tall, Trunk or stems armed with thorns, spines or prickles, Stems solid, Stems or young twigs glabrous or sparsely glabrate, Stems with hooked uncinate hairs or prickles, Leaves alternate, Leaves petiolate, Stipules conspicuous, Stipules setiform, subulate or acicular, Stipules persistent, Stipules free, Leaves compound, Leaves bipinnate, Leaf or leaflet margins entire, Leaflets opposite, Leaflets 5-9, Leaflets 10-many, Leaves glabrous or nearly so, Flowers solitary in axils, or appearing solitary, Inflorescences globose heads, capitate or subcapitate, Inflorescence axillary, Flowers actinomorphic or somewhat irregular, Calyx 5-lobed, Calyx glabrous, Petals united, valvate, Petals white, Imperfect flowers present, dioecious or polygamodioecious, Fertile stamens 6-8, Stamens completely free, separate, Stamens long exserted, Filaments glabrous, Style terete, Fruit a legume, Fruit unilocular, Fruit freely dehiscent, Fruit elongate, straight, Fruit oblong or ellipsoidal, Fruit exserted from calyx, Fruit spiny, bur-like, with hooked bristles or prick les, Fruit glabrous or glabrate, Fruit 3-10 seeded, Seed with elliptical line or depression, pleurogram, Seeds subquadrate, Seed surface smooth, Seeds olive, brown, or black.