Aanathottavadi ( Mimosa diplotrica)

Common name: 

Gient sensitive plant

Botanical name:

Mimosa diplotrica.

Family:

Fabaceae

 It is a wild invasive plant native from Brazil.

Square-sided stems that scramble or climb on other plants and have many small spines along their length.

It has many small green pinnate leaves having many leaflets.

Flowers are found in round pink inflorescence that may become pale with age.

Seed pods are small pale green turning to brown if they dry and found in groups of 5 to 20.

Eradication of this plant is very difficult and it is a big threat to forest ecosystems, agricultural land and pastures.

This plant can grow to at least 5 meters high and the four angled stem is covered with prickly, hooked spines that face in opposite directions. Its dense growths can also prevent the growth of other plants.

It is difficult to remove manually because of its thorns and readily grows back from plant remnants and the seed bank it leaves in the soil.

All parts of the plant are toxic to herbivores if ingested.

It produces a toxin, which can cause vascular endothelial damage, necroses of the heart and liver and anemia in cattle.

The prickly, hooked spines causes pain and irritation on contact with skin.