Stats

Lifespan: Perennial
Size: Small
Diet: Photosynthetic
Biome: Subtropical grassland
Range: North America
Movement: Sessile
Breeding: Seeds
Defense: Sensitive Leaves
Status: Uncommon

About

This creeping vine blankets sandy soil across the southern United States. Its leaves fold shut in under two seconds when touched to discourage hungry insects.

Life cycle

1.
seed
A dormant seed waits for water and warmth before germinating.
2.
sprout
A first shoot emerges with cotyledon leaves and a tap root reaching down.
3.
sapling
A young plant grows true leaves and a stem or trunk, putting on height each season.
4.
mature
Fully grown, flowering or fruiting at adult size.

Learn more

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Taxonomy

Kingdom: Plantae
Phylum: Tracheophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Fabales
Family: Fabaceae
Genus: Mimosa
Species: Mimosa strigillosa