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.[2] It is a short, low-lying shrub with minuscule thorns lining its stem-like hairs.[3]

Mimosa somnians
Scientific classification Edit this 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[2]
  • 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 is notable for exhibiting rapid plant movement. Its leaves are sensitive to tactile stimulus, folding quickly when touched, similar to Mimosa pudica.[4] 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.[4]

Mimosa somnians's leaflets are 4–5 mm long.[3] The flowers form pink balls.[3] It propagates by seeds.[4]

Forms, subspecies and varieties

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  • Mimosa somnians f. viscida
  • Mimosa somnians subsp. longipes
  • Mimosa somnians subsp. viscida
  • Mimosa somnians var. aquatica
  • Mimosa somnians var. deminuta
  • Mimosa somnians var. diminuta
  • Mimosa somnians var. glandulosa
  • Mimosa somnians var. lasiocarpa
  • Mimosa somnians var. leptocaulis
  • Mimosa somnians var. longipes
  • Mimosa somnians var. lupulina
  • Mimosa somnians var. possensis
  • Mimosa somnians var. somnians
  • Mimosa somnians var. velascoensis
  • Mimosa somnians var. viscida

Uses

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In Guyana, it is used to calm down irritable children via washing.[5]

Chemical constituents

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Mimosa somnians contains (whole plant) about 0.029% tryptamine and about 0.029% methyltryptamine.[6]

References

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  1. ^ "Mimosa somnians". Germplasm Resources Information Network. Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture. Retrieved 2008-05-07.
  2. ^ a b "Mimosa somnians - ILDIS LegumeWeb". www.ildis.org. Retrieved 2008-05-07.
  3. ^ a b c "Full text of "Flora of Yucatan"". Retrieved 2008-05-08.
  4. ^ a b c "Translated version of http://laflor.ifas.ufl.edu/Weeds%20of%20CR/cd/MALEZAS/leguminosas/Mimosa%20somnians.html". Retrieved 2008-05-08. {{cite web}}: External link in |title= (help)
  5. ^ Medicinal Plants of the Guianas (Guyana, Surinam, French Guiana), Retrieved 5-07-08
  6. ^ Gupta, M. P.; Arias, T. D.; Etheart, J.; Hatfield, G. M. (1979). "The Occurrence of Tryptamine and N-Methyltryptamine in Mimosa somnians". Journal of Natural Products. 42 (2): 234–236. doi:10.1021/np50002a017. PMID 27802381.