creeping sensitive-plant

Mimosa invisa is a climbing plant with glabrous, aculeate branches and no nectaries. Its leaves are bipinnate and paripinnate, with 8 leaflets arranged oppositely. The leaflets are oblong in shape and exhibit actinodromous venation. The plant produces axillary spike inflorescences with sessile, actinomorphic flowers. Each flower has a gamosepalous calyx with four sepals and a gamopetalous, tubular corolla with four rose-colored petals. The androecium is dialystaminous and homodinamous, with anthers dehiscing longitudinally. The superior ovary is sessile and pluriovulate. The fruit is a linear, sessile craspedium with a straight margin, a pilose epicarp, and brown coloration. The seeds are obovate, plane, with a brown coat and a basal hilum.

Mimosa invisa is native to South America, with a distribution that includes Brazil, Paraguay, and northern regions of the continent. It is found in a range of habitats, from the semi-arid regions of Brazil to more humid environments. The plant is particularly invasive in disturbed areas and can form dense thickets, outcompeting native vegetation. It has been reported in conservation units and is a concern in the semi-arid region of Paraíba, Brazil, where it can dominate the understory of vegetation.

Mimosa invisa is not typically cultivated for ornamental or agricultural purposes due to its invasive nature. However, it can establish itself readily in disturbed soils and along roadsides, where it spreads aggressively. Its ability to climb and form dense mats makes it a problematic species in managed landscapes. Control measures often include mechanical removal, herbicides, and biological control agents, though eradication is challenging due to its prolific seed production and persistent seed bank.

Mimosa invisa is not known for any significant economic or traditional uses. Instead, it is primarily recognized as a noxious weed and invasive species. In many regions, it is considered a threat to native ecosystems and agricultural systems due to its rapid growth and ability to form dense, impenetrable thickets. The plant's leguminous nature suggests it may have the potential to fix nitrogen, but this has not been widely studied or utilized in agricultural contexts.