Giant False Sensitive Plant

Mimosa diplotricha grows as an erect shrub or a scrambling climber, reaching a height of around 3 m (9.8 ft). Its leaves are bipinnate and bright green with a feathery appearance. They are arranged alternately along the stems. Each leaf contains around twenty pairs of small sessile lanceolate leaflets arranged opposite each other. Each leaflet measures around 6 to 12 mm (0.24 to 0.47 in) long and 1.5 mm (0.059 in) wide. Like the related Mimosa pudica, the leaves are sensitive to touch, and will curl up if disturbed. The stems are characteristically very long. They are squarish in cross-section, with four ridges running lengthwise. A dense row of very sharp recurved thorns run along the ridges, each around 3 to 6 mm (0.12 to 0.24 in) long. The flowers are pale pink and looks like a clustered fluffy ball. They are around 12 mm (0.47 in) in diameter and arise from short stalks from the leaf joints. The corolla is fused (gamopetalous), and there are two stamens for every petal. The flowers develop into clustered slightly curved seed pods. Each seed pod is more or less flat and covered with small prickles. They are around 10 to 35 mm (0.39 to 1.38 in) long and 6 mm (0.24 in) wide. The seeds are oval-shaped and flat, each around 2 to 2.5 mm (0.079 to 0.098 in) long and 0.6 to 1.4 mm (0.024 to 0.055 in) thick. They are light brown and polished in appearance. …

Mimosa diplotricha is native to the tropical and subtropical regions of South America and Central America, including parts of the Caribbean. It is not known, however, if the species is native to North America.