Mimosa texana is a shrub in the family Fabaceae.[2] It is commonly known as the Texas mimosa, the Texas catclaw or the Wherry mimosa and is endemic to upland regions of Mexico and Texas.[1] This species used to be classified as Mimosa biuncifera but it was found that phenotypic variations occurred across its range and a new taxonomy was proposed by Rupert C. Barneby in 1986, splitting the species into Mimosa aculeaticarpa var. biuncifera and Mimosa texana.[3]
| Mimosa texana | |
|---|---|
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. texana
|
| Binomial name | |
| Mimosa texana (A. Gray) Small
| |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Distribution
editTexas mimosa is found on alkaline soils in Mexico and Zapata and Starr counties in the state of Texas. It is uncommon and grows on caliche and gravelly hillsides.[4]
Description
editThis species is a straggly, much branched, deciduous shrub of up to two metres tall. It has slender, zigzag, dark coloured twigs clad in backward pointing prickles. The alternate bi-pinnate leaves have medium-sized leaflets. The globular flowers are creamy-white and cover the bush in the spring. They are intensely fragrant and attract numerous insects. The seed pods are brick red and flattened, with prickly edges.[4]
References
edit- ^ a b USDA
- ^ The Legume Phylogeny Working Group (LPWG). (2017). "A new subfamily classification of the Leguminosae based on a taxonomically comprehensive phylogeny". Taxon. 66 (1): 44–77. doi:10.12705/661.3. hdl:10568/90658.
- ^ Barneby, Rupert C.; Isely, Duane (1986). "Reevaluation of Mimosa biuncifera and M. texana (Leguminosae: Mimosoideae)". Brittonia. 38 (2): 119–122. Bibcode:1986Britt..38..119B. doi:10.2307/2807262. JSTOR 2807262.
- ^ a b Museum of Learning: Mimosa texana