Catclaw mimosa
Mimosa pigra

Family: Fabaceae

What it is like

A small shrub. It can be 6 m tall. The stems are green but become woody later. There are broad prickles 7 mm long. The leaves are bright green and twice divided. The central stalk is 20-25 cm long and has prickles. There are 16 pairs of pinnae 5 cm long and each has pairs of leaflets 3-8 mm long. The leaves fold up when touched and at night. The flowers are red or pink and in tight heads 1 cm across. These contain about 100 flowers. Each head produces 10-20 seed pods. These break into segments when ripe. Each section contains one seed. The seeds are light brown or green.

Also as Mimosaceae. It is invasive.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. It grows in wet savannah and along rivers. It is also in palm groves and along the edges of small lakes. In Argentina it grows from sea level to 1,000 m above sea level.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Angola, Argentina, Asia, Australia, Bangladesh, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Central Africa, Central African Republic, CAR, Central America, Colombia, Congo DR, Costa Rico, Cuba, East Africa, Ecuador, El Salvador, French Guiana, Guatemala, Guianas, Guinea, Guinée, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Honduras, India, Indochina, Jamaica, Laos, Leeward Is., Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, North America, Pacific, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Puerto Rico, Rwanda, SE Asia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, Southern Africa, South America (country/location of origin), Suriname, Swaziland, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad-Tobago, Uganda, Uruguay, USA, Venezuela, Vietnam, West Africa, Winward Is., Zambia, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

Edible parts

Spice, flavouring

How it is grown

Plants grow from seeds. Dry seeds on sandy soil can survive for over 20 years.

Its other names

Local names

Giniandji, Gnanhoun, Kufa, Maiduong, Namanhalo, Nambara-nambara, Nancingue, Trinhnu nhon

Synonyms

Mimosa asperata var. pigra (L.) Willd.;