Mimosa pigra
Mimosa pigra, commonly known as giant sensitive plant, is a perennial shrub native to tropical regions. While valued in traditional medicine for its antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties, it is also a notorious invasive species. Its rapid growth and dense thickets can significantly disrupt wetland ecosystems and local biodiversity.
- Scientific name: Mimosa pigra
- Family: Fabaceae
- Native range: Africa
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified under the phylum Streptophyta and class Equisetopsida. Within the subclass Magnoliidae, it is placed in the order Fabales and the family Fabaceae. Finally, its taxonomic identity is defined by the genus Mimosa.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Fabales | WCVP |
| Family | Fabaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Mimosa | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, known scientifically as Mimosa pigra, is referred to by various common names depending on the region and language. In Rwanda, it is called Umugeyo, while in Vietnam, it is known as Mai dương. In South Africa, the Afrikaans name for it is Raak-my-nie. Furthermore, in Chinese, it is identified as 刺軸含羞草 (zh) and 刺軸含羞草 (zh-tw).| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| rw | Umugeyo | Wikidata |
| vi | Mai dương | Wikidata |
| af | Raak-my-nie | Wikidata |
| zh | 刺軸含羞草 | Wikidata |
| zh-tw | 刺軸含羞草 | Wikidata |
| th | ไมยราบยักษ์ | Wikidata |
| bjn | Susupan gunung | Wikidata |
| ff | Ganjanji | Wikidata |
| dag | Gomachɛma | Wikidata |
| sg | Kängälë | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant, known as Mimosa pigra, exhibits a wide geographical distribution across several African regions. In Northern Africa, its presence is specifically noted in Egypt. Moving into West Tropical Africa, it can be found spreading through the country of Benin. The species also inhabits the landscapes of Burkina and the Gambia. Finally, its range extends further along the coast to include Ghana.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Northern Africa | Egypt | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Benin | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Burkina | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Gambia | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Ghana | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Guinea-Bissau | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Guinea | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Ivory Coast | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Liberia | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Mali | WCVP |
Chemicals
Mimosa pigra has 6 reported phytochemicals identified across 6 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include AA, E-cinnamic acid, SeC, TFC, TPC.
- Total chemicals
- 6
- Scientific sources
- 6
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| AA | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| E-cinnamic acid | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| SeC | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| TFC | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| TPC | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| machaerinic acid | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |