Sensitive weed, common sensitive plant
Mimosa pudica, Fam. Mimosaceae
A low sprawling, often prostrate, perennial sometimes woody herb or sub-shrub; round stems to 1.5m long, reddish-brown or purple, sparsely or moderately hairy as well as prickly.
| Weed Category: |
Other invasive plants Invasive plants that are not prohibited or restricted invasive plants, but are known to spread readily and cause negative impacts, within the region.
|
| Weed: | Yes |
| Form or habit: | Herb, Shrub |
| Family: | Mimosaceae |
| Leaf: | Compound Alternate Compound, alternate bipinnate with feathery fern-like bright green pinnae, each with small paired leaflets. Leaflets fold when touched or injured and at night. 15-62mm long, divided into 1 or 2 pairs of pinnae near the end of each leaf stalk; each pinnae with10-25 pairs of small leaflets with bristly margins. (Stalk and rachis without prickles.) |
| Flower conspicuous: | Conspicuous |
| Flower colour: |
Purple, Pink |
| Flower description: | Tiny pale pink to purplish in fluffy globular heads, borne on short hairy stalks in the leaf axils. 8-15mm across, 1-5 heads in each leaf axil. |
| Fruit conspicuous: | Conspicuous |
| Fruit colour: |
Brown |
| Fruit: | Dry |
| Fruit description: | Pods clustered, dark brown flat prickly and breaking into one-seeded segments when mature. Pods 9-20 x 3-5mm, margins with stiff bristles and indented between each seed. Seeds 2-6, brown flattened pear-shaped and about 3mm long. |
| Habitat: | |
| Distribution | |
| Food source for: | |
| Toxicity: | No toxicity known |
| Origin: | South America |
| Notes: | Spread by: seeds retained in buoyant segments spread by water, in contaminated soil on vehicles, machinery and stock; also adhere to clothing and fur. Invades/threats: cropping land, grassland and native vegetation, impacting on natural environments and agricultural productivity. Notes: introduced to Australia as a horticultural curiosity. Widespread and common this area. Thrives in disturbed and cultivated areas, such as roadsides, vacant allotments, heavily-grazed pastures, crops and lawns; can tolerate shade. Seeds remain viable for many years. Thorns can cause painful wounds. Palatable to stock but contains a toxic amino acid. Environmental weed. |
| Information sources: | Mackay Regional Pest Management Group (2018) Weeds of the Mackay Whitsunday Region Second Edition. |
