Stats

Lifespan

Annual or Perennial

Size

Small

Diet

Photosynthetic

Biome

Tropical rainforest

Range

Central and South America

Movement

Sessile

Breeding

Seeds

Defense

Spines

Status

Common

About

This creeping herb grows in tropical clearings across South and Central America. Its leaves fold inward and droop within seconds of being touched to deter hungry insects.

Life cycle

1. 1.
   seed

   A dormant seed waits for water and warmth before germinating.
2. 2.
   sprout

   A first shoot emerges with cotyledon leaves and a tap root reaching down.
3. 3.
   sapling

   A young plant grows true leaves and a stem or trunk, putting on height each season.
4. 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 pudica