Mimosa somnians

Mimosa somnians
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. somnians
Binomial name
Mimosa somnians
Synonyms
  • Mimosa acutiflora Benth.
  • Mimosa palpitans Willd.
  • Mimosa podocarpa Benth.
  • Mimosa quadrijuga Benth.
  • Mimosa somnians Willd. var. podocarpa (Benth.)Niederl.
  • Mimosa somnians Willd. var. quadrijuga Niederl.
  • Mimosa somniculosa Kunth

Mimosa somnians, commonly known as dormideira, is a species of woody shrub in the genus Mimosa and the family Fabaceae. It is native to the Caribbean, Central America and South America. It is a short, low-lying shrub with minuscule thorns lining its stem-like hairs.

Mimosa somnians is notable for exhibiting rapid plant movement. Its leaves are sensitive to tactile stimulus, folding quickly when touched, similar to Mimosa pudica. It can be differentiated from Mimosa pudica in that its leaves are bipinnate, there are more than four subbranchlets and these originate from more than one point on the branch.

Mimosa somnians's leaflets are 45 mm long. The flowers form pink balls. It propagates by seeds.