• Latin name
• Family
• Common name(s)
• Synonym(s)
• Geographical distribution
• Morphology
• Biology and ecology
• Agricultural importance
• Management
• Selected references
• Contributors

Mimosa diplotricha

Mimosa diplotricha has finely bipinnate leaves, numerous prickles, and purple flowers (IRRI).

Latin name

Mimosa diplotricha C. Wright 

Family

Leguminosae (Mimosoideae)

Common name(s)

Giant false sensitive plant

Synonym(s)

Mimosa invisa Mart.(accepted), Mimosa invisa Mart. ex. Colla (accepted), M. longisiliqua Lam., Schrankia brachycarpa Benth.

Geographical distribution

Asia: China (Taiwan).

South and Southeast Asia: Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Sri Lanka, and Vietnam.

Rest of the world: Africa, Argentina, Australia, Fiji, Mauritius, Melanesia, New Guinea, United States (Hawaii), and West Polynesia.

Morphology

A prostrate or clambering branched herbaceous vine up to 200—cm—high.

Stem: hairy when young; branches angular with numerous bent or backwardly curved prickles.

Leaf: finely bipinnate with 4—8 pairs of pinnae; leaflets many paired, oblong-linear, 3—4—mm—long, without hairs on both surfaces.

Inflorescence: dense heads; stamens purplish, twice as many as petals.

Fruit: linear-oblong, 1—2—cm—long pod with valves and margins covered with bristles. 

Biology and ecology

Found in pastures, upland rice fields, coconut plantations, and sunny to lightly shaded sites.

Mimosa diplotricha reproduces by seeds, which are enclosed in spiny pods that can be carried and spread by animals. Some of the seeds may germinate immediately when conditions are favorable but others remain dormant in the soil for years. Can produce up to 800 seeds per plant. 

Agricultural importance

Can be an important weed due to thorns that make it difficult to clear by hand when mature. Has been used for green manuring in Southeast Asia. 

Management

Cultural control: cutting and burning are usually ineffective because it is able to re-establish from the crown. Hand weeding is effective for young seedlings but thorns make hand weeding difficult at later stages.

Chemical control: postemergence application of MCPA is reported to be effective. 

Selected references

Caton BP, Mortimer M, Hill JE. 2004. Weeds of rice in Asia. Los Baños (Philippines): International Rice Research Institute. 116 p.

Galinato MI, Moody K, Piggin CM. 1999. Upland rice weeds of south and southeast Asia. Manila (Philippines): International Rice Research Institute. 156 p.

Holm L, Plucknett DL, Pancho JV, Herberger JP. 1977. The world's worst weeds: distribution and biology. Honolulu, Hawaii (USA): University Press of Hawaii. 609 p.

Moody K. 1989. Weeds reported in rice in South and Southeast Asia. Manila (Philippines): International Rice Research Institute. 442 p.

Pancho JV, Obien SR. 1995. Manual of ricefield weeds in the Philippines. Muñoz, Nueva Ecija (Philippines): Philippine Rice Research Institute. 543 p.

Plant profile for Mimosa diplotricha (giant false sensitive plant) in Plants Database (http://plants.usda.gov).

Contributors

JLA Catindig, RT Lubigan, and DE Johnson