Mimosa quadrivalvis

Mimosa quadrivalvis
Conservation status
Secure  (NatureServe) [1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Rosids
Order:	Fabales
Family:	Fabaceae
Subfamily:	Caesalpinioideae
Clade:	Mimosoid clade
Genus:	Mimosa
Species:	M. quadrivalvis
Binomial name
Mimosa quadrivalvis L.
Varieties [2]
M. quadrivalvis var. diffusa (Rose) Beard ex Barneby M. quadrivalvis var. jaliscensis (J.F.Macbr.) Beard ex Barneby M. quadrivalvis var. paucijuga (Britton & Rose) Beard ex Barneby M. quadrivalvis var. quadrivalvis M. quadrivalvis var. urbaniana Barneby
Synonyms [2]
List Leptoglottis quadrivalvis (L.) Britton & Rose Morongia aculeata A.Heller Schrankia aculeata Willd. Schrankia mexicana Raf. Schrankia quadrivalvis (L.) Merr.

Mimosa quadrivalvis, known as fourvalve mimosa, sensitive briar and cat's claw, is a trailing vine native to North America, Central America, and the Caribbean. ^{[2] [3] [4]} It is known as sensitive briar because the leaves fold when they are touched or disturbed. ^[5]

Description

It is a sprawling, herbaceous plant with alternate leaves. Each leaf is compound with up to 16 pairs of leaflets that fold together when touched. The stem is covered with small recurved prickles. The flowerheads comprise round clusters of numerous pink flowers, each flower only 3 mm (0.12 in) long with exserted stamens. The fruits are also prickly. Flowering occurs from May through September. ^[5]

Varieties

Five varieties are accepted. ^[2]

• Mimosa quadrivalvis var. diffusa(Rose) Beard ex Barneby – western Mexico
• Mimosa quadrivalvis var. jaliscensis(J.F.Macbr.) Beard ex Barneby – southwestern Mexico
• Mimosa quadrivalvis var. paucijuga(Britton & Rose) Beard ex Barneby – northeastern Mexico
• Mimosa quadrivalvis var. quadrivalvis – Mexico (Veracruz) and Belize
• Mimosa quadrivalvis var. urbanianaBarneby – Puerto Rico

• 
  Leaves
• 
  Flowers

Distribution and habitat

Mimosa quadrivalvis is native to Mexico, Belize, and Puerto Rico. ^[2]

Its habitat includes glades, open woods, thickets, prairies, and roadsides. ^[5]

References

1. NatureServe (2024). "Mimosa quadrivalvis". Arlington, Virginia. Retrieved 20 July 2024.
2. "Mimosa quadrivalvis L." Plants of the World Online . Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew . Retrieved 8 February 2024.
3. NRCS. "Mimosa quadrivalvis". PLANTS Database. United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Retrieved 4 August 2019.
4. "natureserve.org".
5. "missouriplants.com". Archived from the original on 2019-06-03. Retrieved 2019-06-22.