Mimosa is a genus of about 600 species of herbs and shrubs, in the mimosoid clade of the legume family Fabaceae. Species are native to the Americas, from North Dakota to northern Argentina, and to eastern Africa as well as the Indian subcontinent and Indochina. The generic name is derived from the Greek word μῖμος (mimos), an "actor" or "mime", and the feminine suffix -osa, "resembling", suggesting its 'sensitive leaves' which seem to 'mimic conscious life'.
Rapid plant movement encompasses movement in plant structures occurring over a very short period, usually under one second. For example, the Venus flytrap closes its trap in about 100 milliseconds. The traps of Utricularia are much faster, closing in about 0.5 milliseconds. The dogwood bunchberry's flower opens its petals and fires pollen in less than 0.5 milliseconds. The record is currently held by the white mulberry tree, with flower movement taking 25 microseconds, as pollen is catapulted from the stamens at velocities in excess of half the speed of sound—near the theoretical physical limits for movements in plants.
Gracillarioidea is a large superfamily containing four families of insects in the order Lepidoptera. These generally small moths are miners in plant tissue as caterpillars. There are about 113 described genera distributed worldwide, the most commonly encountered of which are leaf miners in the family Gracillariidae.
Gracillariidae is an important family of insects in the order Lepidoptera and the principal family of leaf miners that includes several economic, horticultural or recently invasive pest species such as the horse-chestnut leaf miner, Cameraria ohridella.
Mimosa pigra, commonly known as the giant sensitive tree, is a species of plant of the genus Mimosa, in the family Fabaceae.
Galacticidae is a recently recognised and enigmatic family of insects in the lepidopteran order. These moderate sized moths are 8–17 mm in wingspan and have previously been embedded within several lepidopteran superfamilies, but Galacticidae is currently placed in its own superfamily at the base of the natural group Apoditrysia.
Carmenta mimosa is a moth of the family Sesiidae. It is native to Central America, but has been introduced to the Northern Territory of Australia in 1989.
The European oak leaf-miner or Zeller's midget is a moth of the family Gracillariidae. It is found in Europe south of the line running from Ireland, through Great Britain, Denmark to Ukraine. It is also found in Macaronesia. It is an introduced species in New Zealand and Australia.
Acrocercops albida is a moth of the family Gracillariidae. It is known from Queensland, Australia.
Acrocercops laciniella is a moth of the family Gracillariidae. In Australia, it is known from the states of New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania. It is also known from India and has recently been found in New Zealand.
Acrocercops apoblepta is a moth of the family Gracillariidae. It is known from Queensland, Australia.
Acrocercops archepolis is a moth of the family Gracillariidae. It is known from South Australia.
Aspilapteryx tessellata is a moth of the family Gracillariidae. It is known from New South Wales, Australia. It has been recommended that this species be further studied as its placement within the genus Aspilapteryx is in need of clarification.
Caloptilia octopunctata is a species of moth of the family Gracillariidae. It is known from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Tanzania, Uganda, South Africa, India, Australia, New Zealand and Indonesia.
Macarostola ida is a moth of the family Gracillariidae. It is known from Australia in the states of New South Wales, Queensland, Western Australia and Victoria. In 2019 it was discovered to have become established in Northland and east Auckland in New Zealand.
Phyllonorycter conista is a moth of the family Gracillariidae. It is known from India (Bihar), Malaysia (Pahang), Nepal, the Philippines and Sri Lanka.
Porphyrosela hardenbergiella is a moth of the family Gracillariidae. First identified in a suburban garden in Epsom, Auckland, New Zealand in 1955 feeding on Hardenbergia, the species was likely introduced from Australia, although no members of the species have been found there.
In Australia, Mimosa pigra has been declared a noxious weed or given similar status under various weed or quarantine Acts. It has been ranked as the tenth most problematic weed and is listed on the Weeds of National Significance. It is currently restricted to the Northern Territory where it infests approximately 80,000 hectares of coastal floodplain.
Gracillariinae are a subfamily of moths which was described by Henry Tibbats Stainton in 1854.
Amorbia concavana is a species of moth of the family Tortricidae. It is found from Panama to Mexico and on Cuba, where it is found at altitudes between 50 and 300 meters. It has recently found in the United States in southern Florida.
