Thai watercress, Thai mimosa
Neptunia plena

Family: Fabaceae

What it is like

A herb. It keeps growing from year to year. It can partly grow in water. The stems are erect and branching. The leaves have 4-10 pairs of pinnae with 9-40 leaflets on each. These are 4-18 mm long by 2-3 mm wide. The pods are oblong and 5-10 cm long by 2 cm wide. There are 5-20 seeds.

Also as Mimosaceae.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows well in warm, nutrient-rich mud. In southern China it grows from sea level to 100 m above sea level.

Countries/locations it is found in

Aruba, Asia, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Bolivia, Brazil, Central America (country/location of origin), China, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, French Guiana, Guatemala, Guianas, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Jamaica, Lesser Antilles (country/location of origin), Malaysia, Mexico (country/location of origin), Nicaragua, North America, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Puerto Rico, SE Asia, South America (country/location of origin), Sri Lanka, Suriname, Taiwan, Thailand, Trinidad-Tobago, USA, Venezuela, Vietnam, Virgin Islands, West Indies (country/location of origin)

How it is used for food

Edible parts

Leaves

How it is grown

It can be grown from seed. The tough seed coating needs to be broken.

Its other names

Local names

Aquatic sensitive plant, Banyu putri malu, Water dead-and-awake

Synonyms

Desmanthus comosus A. Rich.; Desmanthus plenus (L.) Willd.; Desmanthus polyphyllus DC.; Desmanthus punctatus (L.) Willd.; Mimosa plena L.; Mimosa punctata L.; Neptunia polyphylla (DC.) Benth.;