Mimosa quadrivalvis

Mimosa quadrivalvis L(L.) Merr.

Fourvalve mimosa

native :

tropical America and the Caribbean

Synonyms

Leptoglottis quadrivalvis (L.) Britton & Rose

Morongia aculeata A.Heller

Schrankia aculeata Willd.

Schrankia mexicana Raf.

Schrankia quadrivalvis (L.) Merr.

varieties :

Mimosa quadrivalvis var. angustata 

Mimosa quadrivalvis var. floridana  

Mimosa quadrivalvis var. hystricina

Mimosa quadrivalvis var. nelsonii 

Mimosa quadrivalvis var. leptocarpa 

Mimosa quadrivalvis var. quadrivalvis          

Mimosa quadrivalvis var. urbaniana 

Albizia saman - Rain Tree

Rain tree is Albizia saman, more fondly known as its obsolete name Samanae saman, a tree originated from the Neotropics, range from Mexico to Peru and Brazil.  However, it is widely introduced to South and SE Asia, as well as the Pacific Islands.

The generic name Albizia is to honor an Italian nobleman Filippo degli Albizzi, who introduced Albizia julibrissin to the Europe in the mid-18^th century.  The specific name saman is from the Spanish word originated from South American aboriginal name zamang.

The name ‘rain tree’ was coined in India, due to the possible excreta of cicada inhabiting the trees.    It Hawaii, its known as ‘monkeypod’.   Its common name varies in different regions and different languages.

Albizia saman F.Muell. was known as by numerous synonyms :

·Acacia propinqua A.Rich.

·Albizzia saman (Jacq.) Merr. (orth.var)

·Calliandra saman (Jacq.) Griseb.

·Enterolobium saman (Jacq.) Prain

·Feuilleea saman (Jacq.) Kuntze

·Inga cinerea Willd.

·Inga salutaris Kunth

·Inga saman (Jacq.) Willd.

·Mimosa pubifera Poir.

·Mimosa saman Jacq.

·Pithecellobium cinereum Benth.

·Pithecellobium saman (Jacq.) Benth.

·Pithecellobium saman var. saman (Jacq.) Benth.

·Pithecolobium saman (Jacq.) Benth.

·Samanea saman (Jacq.) Merr.

·Zygia saman (Jacq.) A.Lyons

Albizia saman is a wide canopied tree with a large symmetrical crown of up to 20m in diameter.  It can reach a height of 25m and trunk diameter of 40cm. The bark is gray, rough, thick, furrowed.  Its leaves are alternate, bipinnate with diamond-shaped leaflets.  Flowers are in clusters, pink to yellow, depending on its lineage.   Seed pods are long, 10-20cm long.  Seeds oblong, reddish brown.

The large crown provides a nice canopy, thus often planted in parks.  It can also planted in row along road shoulders.  Yet, the large branches tend to break off.  The vast root system also often found damaging roads, drains, pedestrian walkway and buildings.

Leucaena leucocephala - Petai Belalang

Leucaena leucocephala (Lam.) De wit is a tropical species of small tree native to South America.  It is known as petai belalang in Malay language.  In Indonesia, it is known as lamtoro.

The specific name is derived from Greek word λευκό which means “white” ; and κέφαλος which means “head”, in allusion to its flowers.

Symnonyms : Acacia leucocephala (Lamark) Link 1822, Leucaena glabrata Rose 1897, Leucaena glauca (L.) Benth 1842, Mimosa leucocephala Lamark 1783

There are 3 subspecies : subsp. leucocephala, subsp. glabrata, and subsp. ixtahuacana.

L. leucocephala can grow up to 20 meter in height. 

The leaves are bipinnate.  Leaflets are  9-16mm long and 2-4mm wide.

Flowers are actinomorphic, about 12-21mm diameter, cream white colour, 10 free stamens per flower, hairy anthers.

Pod occure in cluster of 5-20 per flower head, 11-19cm long, 15-21mm wide, flattened, 8-18 seeds per pod, dehiscent.

Pollination via insects, self-fertile.

Propagation via seeds.  Seeds can remain viable for long periods ( at least 20 years ) in the soil.

Trees are generally short-lived ( 20-40 years )

It can grow in wide range of habitats : coastal, riverine, semi-natural, ex-mining, disturbed sites etc

L. leucocephala is susceptible to the psyllid Heteropsylla cubana, which cause serios defoliation and mortality.

Gummosis caused by Fusarium semitectum

Ganoderma lucidum causes root rot.

L. leucocephala is efficient in nitrogen fixation, at more than 500kg/ha/year.

The leaves are highly nutritious for ruminants.

The wood is used as firewood, and produced into charcoal.  It can also be used for parquet flooring, furniture, as well as paper pulp.  Straight trunk is used as posts.

L. leucocephala thickets are used as windbreeakers and firebreakers.

The young seeds and young leaves are consumed as vegetables.

In Indonesia, ‘tempe lamtoro’ is made of fermented leucaena seeds.

However, due to its high germination rate and growth rate, it is sometime regard as noxious weeds.

The leaves and seeds contain mimosine, a toxic to non-ruminant vertebrates, thus not advisable to consume in large quantity. 

Mimosine is broken down in the rumen to DHP ( 3-hydroxy-4-(1H)-pyridone ), which is further broken down by rumen microorganisms to non-toxic compounds.

Reference

http://www.invasivespecies.net/database/species/ecology.asp?si=23&fr=1&sts=sss&lang=EN

http://www.worldagroforestrycentre.org/SEA/Products/AFDbases/AF/asp/SpeciesInfo.asp?SpID=1069

http://www.fao.org/ag/AGP/AGPC/doc/Publicat/Gutt-shel/x5556e06.htm

http://www.odi.org.uk/resources/download/2166.pdf

http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/duke_energy/leucaena_leucocephala.html

Mimoseae in Klang

In some classification systems, eg. Cronquist System, treat Fabaceae in a narrow sense, raising Mimosoideae to the rank of famiy as Mimosaceae. The Angiosperm Phylogeny Group treats Fabaceae in the broad sense, thus making Mimosoideae a subfamily.

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Mimoseae is one of 4 tribes in the Mimosoideae subfamily. The other tribes are : Acacieae, Ingeae and Mimozygantheae.

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Mimosa pudica is a creeping perennial herb from the Fabaceae family. It is native to South America and Central America, but is now a pan-tropical weed.

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Mimosa pudica was first formally described by Carl Linnaeus in Species Plantarum in 1783. The species epithet, pudica, is Latin for ‘bashful; or ‘shrinking’, alluding to its shrinking reaction to contact.

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The leaves undergo nyctinastic movement, which close during darkness and reopen in light. But M. pudica is more recognized for its sensitive leaves, thus named Touch-Me-Not , or Sensitive Plant. The bipinnately compound leaves fold inward and droop when touched or disturbed ( seismonastic movement ), re-opening minutes later. It is not known exactly why M. pudica evolved this trait, but many scientists think that the plant uses its ability to shrink as a defense from predators. Animals may be afraid of such fast moving plant and would rather go and eat a less active one. Another possible explanation is that the sudden movement dislodges harmful insects.

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Its flowers are pink in colour, glabrous, 8-10mm in diameter. The flowers are pollinated by the wind and insects. Propagation is by seeds.

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M. pudica can form root nodules that are inhabitable by nitrogen fixing bacteria.

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Mimosa diplotricha is a perennial shrub originated from South America. It can grow up to 2 m in height.

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The leaves are bipinnately compound, but less sensitive compare to M. pudica. Flowers are pink in colour. Seeds can remain in soil for years before geminating, but if condition is favorable, it will germinate immediately. It grows vigorously and form dense ground cover and thickets, often regarded as noxious weed.

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Mimosa pigra is a perennial shrub capable of reaching up to 6 m in height. The stem is greenish in young plants but become woody as the plant matures. The leaves are bright green and bipinnately compound. Leaves are sensitive and fold up when disturbed and at nightfall, but not as sensitive compare to M. pudica and M. diplotricha.

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M. pigra is native to South America and Central America, also has been listed as one of the world’s 100 worst invasive species.

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The flowers are pink in colour, glabrous, 8-10mm in diameter. Seeds can survive at least 23 years on sandy soils. Germination takes place all year round, especially after wet season.

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M. pigra also have root nodules that help fix nitrogen into the soil.

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Neptunia plena is an aquatic perennial shrub from the tropical America.

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The flower is yellow in colour, glabrous. The leaves are mildly sensitive.

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N. plena is plant for ornamental purpose, but in most place it become a noxious weed.

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Leucaena leucocephala is a small tree native to Central & Southern America.

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The specific name is derived from the Greek words leuco, meaning ‘white’, and cephala, meaning ‘head’, referring to its flowers.

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L. leucocephala is used for firewood, fiber and livestock fodder. In 1970s and 1980s, it was promoted as a ‘miracle tree’ for its multiple uses, but soon it becomes a ‘conflict tree’ as is spreads as a weed in some places.

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The young seeds are edible, but need to be pre-cooked to denaturalized the mimosine, which can be toxic to non-ruminants vertebrates.

3 subfamilies of Fabaceae

Fabaceae ( or known as Leguminosae ) is a large and economically important family of flowering plants. It is commonly known as the legume family, pea family, bean family or pulse famiy.

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The name ‘Fabaceae’ comes from the defunct genus Faba, now included into Vicia. However, Leguminosae is still considered a valid name.

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Fabaceae is the 3^rd largest family of flowering plants, with some 730 genera and over 19,400 species. The largest genus is Astragalus, with more than 2,000 species. Acacia have more than 900 species, Indigofera have some 700 species, Crotalaria have 600 species, and Mimosa have 500 species.

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The Fabaceae are placed in the order Fabales, according to most taxonomic system.

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The Fabaceae comprise 3 subfamilies : Mimosoideae, Caesalpinioideae, and Faboideae/Papilionoideae.

Mimosoideae have some 80 genera and 3,200 species.

Classified in 4 tribes : Acacieae, Ingeae, Mimoseae, Mimozygantheae.

Distributed mostly tropic and warm temperate Asia and America.

Flowers with small petals and numerous prominent stamens. Inflorescences actinomorphic, capitate clusters, spikes or racemes.

Fruit dry when mature, dehiscent along both groove.

Leaves bicompound.

Nodulation is common.

Monophyletic.

Important species : Acacia acuminate, Adenanthere pavonina (saga), Mimosa pudica, Parkia speciosa (petai).

Caesalpinioideae have some 170 genera and 2,000 species.

Classified in 4 tribes : Caesalpinieae, Cassieae, Cerdieae & Detarieae.

Distributed cosmopolitan.

Caesalpinioideae are mainly trees, distributed in the moist tropics.

Flowers with non-papilionaceous corolla, petals not equals, stamen 10 or fewer. Inflorecence spikes, racemes or heads.

Fruit varies.

Leave compound.

Nodulation is rare.

Paraphyletic.

Important species : Caesalpinia pulcherrima, Delonix regia, Senna alexandrina, bauhinia blakeana.

Faboideae, also know as Papilioinoideae, have some 470 genera and 14,000 species.

Classified in 32 tribes : Abreae, Adesmieae, Aeschynomeneae, Amorpheae, Bossiaeeae, Brongniartieae, Carmichaelieae, Cicereae, Crotalarieae, Dalbergieae, Desmodieae, Dipterygeae, Euchreasteae, Galegeae, Genisteae, Hedysareae, Indigofereae, Liparieae, Loteae, Millettieae, Mirbelieae, Phaseoleae, Podalyrieae, Psoraleeae, Robinieae, Sesbanieae, Sophoreae, Swartzieae, Termospsideae, Trifolieae, Vicieae.

Faboideae may be trees, shrubs or herbs, distributed cosmopolitan.

Flowers with papilionaceous corolla, petals not equal. Stamen 10, often united into a tube, uppermost filament free. Infrorecence strongly zygomorphic, spikes or racemes.

Fruit dry when mature, dehiscent along both sutures or breaking into loments.

Leaves compound, palmate or pinnate.

Nodulation is common.

Monophyletic sensu stricto

Important species : Archis hypogea (peanut), Cicer arietum (chickpea), Glycine max (soybean), Lens culinaris (lentil), Medicago sativa (alfafa), Phaseolus vulgaris (French bean), Pisum sativum ( common pea), Vigna sesquipedalis (long bean).

Neptunia plena

Taxonomy

Neptunia plena are a member of the Mimosoideae subfamily of Fabaceae family(1).

When I first encountered this yellow 'Mimosa', I was thrilled to have discovered an exotic species. Obviously, I was wrong assuming that it is a Mimosa. However I was not entirely wrong, at least, as it is indeed a cousin of Mimosa, from Mimoseae tribe(2). Some even name it Mimosa plena, M. punctata, M. adenanthera, or M. lycopodioides as well as many other names (3) .

It is after a long time then I realized that it is actually Neptunia plena 假含羞草 , also known as Aquatic-Dead-and-awake. Thanks to 1001 Garden Plants in Singapore, 2nd Edition. It puzzled me though : who would plant it as a garden plant in the first place. No doubt that the flower is somehow pretty, but not till that extend of bringing it home ! I wouldn’t , for sure.

Distribution

Originated from the tropical America : Texas, Costa Rica, Honduras, Nicaragua, West Indies, French Guiana, Guyana, Suriname, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru, Paraguay (2). It is now naturalized in tropical Asia (2), becoming a noxious weed, invasive and hard to eradicate.

Botany

Neptunia seems to be water-loving, perennial herbaceous shrub (3). Leaves evenly bipinnate, mildly sensitive to physical touch; glabrous stem; the flower is actinomorphic, numerous stamens, globorous ; pods dehisces when matured (4).

 

Reference

1http://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=Scientific_Name&search_kingdom=every&search_span=exactly_for&categories=All&source=html&search_credRating=All&search_value=Neptunia%20plenasearch_topic=Scientific_Name&search_kingdom=every&search_span=exactly_for&categories=All&source=html&search_credRating=All&search_value=Neptunia%20plena

2 http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/tax_search.pl?Neptunia%20plena

3 http://www.ildis.org/LegumeWeb/6.00/taxa/11907.shtml

4 http://www.dpi.qld.gov.au/documents/Biosecurity_EnvironmentalPests/IPA-Water-Mimosa-Risk-Assessment.pdf