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Pacific Pests, Pathogens & Weeds - Mini Fact Sheet Edition

Giant sensitive plant (450)

Relates to: Weeds

Photo 1. Thicket of giant sensitive plant, Mimosa diplotricha.

Photo 2. Individual plant, giant sensitive plant, Mimosa diplotricha, showing stem, leaves and flowers.

Photo 3. Backward-pointing thorns, giant sensitive plant, Mimosa diplotricha.

Photo 4. Leaves of giant sensitive plant, Mimosa diplotricha. Note, leaflets of the central leaf have collapsed.

Photo 5. Flowerhead of giant sensitive plant, Mimosa diplotricha. Note, the fruits, left and beneath the stem, and the backward, curved thorns on the stem and leaf stalk.

Photo 6. Close-up fluffy flowerhead of giant sensitive plant, Mimosa diplotricha, showing long stamens.

Summary

Widespread. Africa, Asia, North, South and Central America, Caribbean, Europe, Oceania. In most Pacific islands.
Important, invasive, weed of plantations, upland rice, food crop gardens, pastures, roadsides, waste sites. Fast growing, smothering other species, flowering early and producing much seed with long survival. Cattle avoid it.
Stems, 4-sided with short, stiff, backward-pointing thorns. Leaves, alternate along stems, bright green, 10-20 cm long, divided into 4-9 pairs of leaf-like segments, each with 12-30 pairs of leaflets. Flowerheads, a cluster of pink to purple, individual flowers, with long stamens forming fluffy balls, on short prickly stalks. Seedpods, soft, spiny, in clusters, breaking into 2-4, 1-seeded parts.
Spread: seeds by birds, other animals, clothing, in flowing water; use as a ground cover; moved in road materials; as pasture seed contaminant.
Biosecurity: high risk of introduction. Among 10 worst weeds in Fiji, Samoa, Solomon Islands. In Australia, 'restricted invasive plant': do not release into environment, give away or sell.
Biocontrol: Heteropsylla spinulosa, psyllid, introduced into Australia, PNG, Samoa. Fungus, Corynespora cassiicola, has potential.
Cultural control: before flowering, hand weed (use gloves or hoe!) or slash; vehicle hygiene.
Chemical control: in Australia: dicamba; diuron; fluroxypyr; glufosinate-ammonium. In Fiji, glyphosate. Apply to regrowth after slashing or burning.

Common Name

Giant sensitive plant; it is also known as nila grass in Papua New Guinea. CABI prefers the name creeping sensitive plant. CABI calls Mimosa pigra, giant sensitive plant.

Scientific Name

Mimosa diplotricha. It was known previously as Mimosa invisa. It is a member of the Fabaceae.

AUTHORS Grahame Jackson, Aradhana Deesh & Mani Mua
Adapted from Giant sensitive weed (Mimosa diplotricha) (2018) Weeds of SE Qld and Northern NSW. Lucidcentral. (https://www.lucidcentral.org/editors-pick-animal-and-plant-identification-keys/key-to-weeds-of-se-qld-and-northern-nsw); and additional information from ¹Waterhouse DF, Norris KR (1987) Biological Control Pacific Prospects. Inkata Press, Melbourne; and CABI (2019) Mimosa diplotricha (giant sensitive plant). Crop Protection Compendium. (www.cabi.org/cpc); and from Giant sensitive plant (Mimosa diplotricha) (2016) Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Biosecurity Queensland. (https://www.daf.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0017/67121/IPA-Giant-Sensitive-Plant-PP27.pdf). Photo 1 Obsidian Soul Giant_false_sensitive_plant_(Mimosa_diplotricha)_from_Mindanao,_Philippines_1. Photo 4 Challiyan at ml.wikipedia. Photo 5 Ks.mini Giant Sensitive plant Name Mimosa diplotricha Family Fabaceae.

Produced with support from the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research under project HORT/2016/185: Responding to emerging pest and disease threats to horticulture in the Pacific islands, implemented by the University of Queensland, in association with the Pacific Community and Koronivia Research Station, Ministry of Agriculture, Fiji.

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