6. Mimosa.] 41. MIM0SACE2E. [4. Acacia. 



3. mimosa) L. 



More or less prickly herbs or shrubs with digitate-pinnate 

 or 2-pinuate leaves, and numerous small sensitive lflts. Fls. 

 very small in dense globose heads, mostly 4-merous. Calyx 

 campanulate, teeth small. St. as many or twice as many as 

 the petals, much exserted. Pod flat dry breaking up into 

 1-seeded joints separating from the sutures. 



1. 1YL pudica, L. Lajak, Beng. The Sensitive Plant. 

 A well-known small undershrub with weakly-pricklj 



stems, and compound leaves with digitate pinnae and pinnate 

 leaflets. Peduncles 1-2 axillary. Fls. pink. St. 4. Pod 

 with weak prickles on the sutures. 



Sandy damp ground on the plateaux, not common in the hotter drier 

 parts. Said to have been introduced from Trop. America, now natura- 

 lised.' Fla.,Fr. r.s. 



2. M. rubicaulis, Lamk. Kundaru, K. ; Sega janum S. 

 A weak very prickly shrub 6-12 ft^ with many branches 



from the root with ^-pinnate leaves, 4-12 prs. of distant pinnae 

 1-2J" long and 8-20 prs. of small clo3e-set lflts. £-§* ^ on S w ^ 

 the rachises beset with small>ecurved prickles. Fls. pink or 

 whitish in dense heads f " diam. on clustered long axillary 

 peduncles, and running out into terminal racemes and pani- 

 cles. Pod rather falcate 3-4", 6-10-seeded. 



Very common in the forests, esp., in glades and on waste ground, in 

 the valleys. Fls. Jug. -Oct. Fr. Nov.-Jany. Branches die down or 

 shed their leaves in the hot season. 



Branches grooved downy. Ljlts. pubescent oblong one-sided. Corolla 

 £j", lobes 4. St. 8. 



The powdered root given for vomiting from weakness, Camp. The 

 square joints of the pod easily distinguish it from the Acacias when 

 in fruit. 



4. Acacia, "Willd. 



Erect or climbing armed shrubs or trees, with 2-pinnate 

 leaves and small lflts. (exc. $). Flowers very small in spikes 



286 



