Mimosa aculeaticarpa var. biuncifera (8)

 

By Talise Dow, Native Plants of Arizona 2004
Common names: Catclaw Mimosa (8), Wait-a-Minute Bush (2) Paired-thorn Mimosa, Wait-a Bit (6) Una de Gato, Gatura (4)
Family: Fabaceae (2)
Synonymy: Mimosa biuncifera (8.), M. biuncifera var. glabrescens (8), M. lindheimeri (8), M. biuncifera var. lindheimeri(8),M. warnockii (8), Mimosopsis biuncifera (8).
Etymology: From the Spanish Mimoso, which means sensitive, referring to thigmotactic leaf movement. Or, from Greek Mimos, referring to animal-like responsive leaf movement. (4) The “spines” grab hold and don’t let go very quickly (2) Aculeaticarpa is Latin for “prickly fruit”and biuncifera describes the two recurved spines (6).

 Identification
Growth form: Thicket forming, intricately branched, deciduous shrub (1,4,7), 3 to 8 feet tall (1-3 m); pubescent stems with single or paired prickles (4).
Roots:
Stem: Smooth, erect, usually branched near the ground, with paired recurved spines.
Leaves:  Bipinnately compound with 3 to 9 pairs of primary leaflets and 8 to 14 pairs of secondary leaflets. Can have up to 300 2-4mm linear to oblong leaflets (4).
 Inflorescence/flowers: Small (<4mm) pale pinkish to creamy fragrant flowers, in globose heads forming a round powder-puff to 5/8" wide. Pollinated by insects (4).
Fruit: The fruits are elongated, flattened brick-red colored legumes (4). Constricted between the seeds. Seeds likely spread via wildlife/livestock (7) Seeds have high germination rates w/ high temps.(4)
Similar Species: Acacia greggii may be confused with Mimosa aculeaticarpa because of its compound leaves and claw-like spines, but A. greggii has only one spine per node while M. aculeaticarpa are always paired (2).

Ecology
Life history: Deciduous shrub (2,4,5,7)
 Native/introduced: Native to the Southwestern United States and parts of Northern Mexico (1,5).
 Photosynthetic pathway:
Phenology:  Late April to September (2).
Distribution: Occurs in Sonoran and Chihuahuan deserts (southern Arizona, southern New Mexico, western Texas), northern Mexico (1,5), in dry soils on mesas, rocky slopes, washes, limestone and igneous substrates. Grows 3000 to 6000 feet elevation (600-1525 m) (4).

Uses:  Provides shelter and food for variety of small wildlife (4). Flowers are a good source of nectar for honey bees (5). The leaves and young fruit are palatable forage for deer, pronghorn. Shows potential for erosion control in thicket formation. (4) 

References

  1. Carter, J.L. 1997. Trees and Shrubs of New Mexico. Johnson Books. Boulder, Colorado. P. 533
  2. Epple, Anne Orth, 1995, A Field Guide to the Plants of Arizona.
  3. Halse, Richard, Patterson, Robert, 1993. Treatment from the Jepson Manual.  University of California Press. Available at

http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?4518,4525,4527

  1. Ladyman, Juanita. JNJ Associates. Available at : http://www.fs.fed.us/global/iitf/pdf/shrubs/Mimosa%20aculeaticarpa.pdf
  2. Powell. A.M.  1998.  Trees and Shrubs of Trans-Pecos and adjacent areas. University of Texas University Press, Austin, TX, p. 498.
  3. Stearn, William T., 2004. Botanical Latin. Timber Press. Pp. 363
  4. Uchytil, Ronald.  November 1990. Mimosa biuncifera. U.S. Department of Agriculture. Forest Service. Rocky Mountain Research Station. Fire Sciences Laboratory. Fire Effects Information System Database.  Available at: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/plants/shrub/mimbiu/introductory.html

8.     USDA, NRCS. 2004. The PLANTS Database, Version 3.5 (http://plants.usda.gov). National Plant Data Center, Baton Rouge, LA 70874-4490 USA.