Compilation
Mimosa dulcis

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Name

Identification
Mimosa dulcis Roxb. [family LEGUMINOSAE-MIMOSACEAE ] Verified by Not on sheet, Pithecellobium dulce (Roxb.) Benth. [family LEGUMINOSAE-MIMOSACEAE ] (stored under name); Verified by Not on sheet,
Related name
  • Pithecellobium dulce
  • Mimosa dulcis
  • Inga dulcis
  • Pithecolobium dulce

Flora

Entry for PITHECELLOBIUM dulce (Roxb.) Benth. [family LEGUMINOSAE-MIMOSOIDEAE]
Herbarium
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (K)
Collection
Flora of Tropical East Africa
Resource Type
Reference Sources
Entry From
Flora of Tropical East Africa, page 1, (1959) Author: J. P. M. Brenan
Names
PITHECELLOBIUM dulce (Roxb.) Benth. [family LEGUMINOSAE-MIMOSOIDEAE], in Hook., Lond. Journ. Bot. 3: 199 (1844); L.T.A.: 871 (1930); T.T.C.L.: 347 (1949); U.O.P.Z.: 415, 416, fig. (1949); Dale, Introd. Trees Uganda: 60 (1953); Kosterm., Monogr. Asiatic etc. Sp. Mimos. Formerly Incl. in Pithecolobium Mart.: 8 (Bull. 20, Org. Sci. Res. Indonesia (1954)). Type: India, Coromandel, cultivated, Roxburgh in Wallich 5282 D. (K,? holo.! & painting of type material, No. 488!).
Mimosa dulcis Roxb. [family LEGUMINOSAE-MIMOSOIDEAE], Pl. Corom. 1: 67, t. 99 (1795)
Information
Shrub or tree 4–15 m. high, armed with spinescent stipules up to 12 mm. long. Bark smooth. Young branchlets puberulous to pubescent. Leaves: petiole 0.3–2.8(–5) cm. long, glandular at apex at the junction of the single pair of pinnae; leaflets 1 pair, ± asymmetrically elliptic to obovate-elliptic, mostly 0.7–5 cm. long, 0.3–2.3 cm. wide, glabrous or inconspicuously hairy, rounded or emarginate to subacute at apex. Flowers creamy or yellow, in small heads 0.8–1 cm. wide on short peduncles arranged racemosely or paniculately in ± leafless inflorescences. Calyx 1–1.5 mm. long, puberulous. Corolla 3–4.5 mm. long, puberulous. Free part of stamen-filaments about 6.5–7 mm. long. Pods spirally twisted. Seeds black, glossy, 9–10 mm. long, 7–8 mm. wide, covered with a white to reddish fleshy edible aril.
Range
DISTR. K7 native of tropical America, but widely cultivated in other parts of the tropics and naturalized in many places
Altitude range
about 150 m.
Distribution
KENYA Kwale District railway loop 4 km. S. of Mazeras, 10 Sept. 1953, Drummond & Hemsley 4243!
Notes
P. dulce is cultivated in Uganda, Kenya, Tanganyika and Zanzibar, and other instances of its naturalization besides the one mentioned above may thus well be found. It is very popular as a hedge-plant at the lower altitudes.

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