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Botanical Family · Fabales

Mimosaceae

Mimosa/Acacia family

58 speciesOrder Fabales8+ well-known plants

The mimosa or acacia subfamily of Fabaceae, comprising trees and shrubs predominantly of tropical savannas and drylands. Flowers are small and radially symmetrical, packed into spherical or spike-like heads. Includes acacias, sensitive plant (Mimosa pudica), and many gum-producing trees.

Browse all 58 species ↓
Representative MIMOSACEAE specimen
Representative specimen · Mimosaceae
Key pattern

Bipinnate, often fern-like leaves, sometimes touch-sensitive; tiny radially symmetrical flowers pack into dense spherical or cylindrical heads, where a burst of numerous long stamens — not the petals — creates the fluffy visual effect.

Many species fix atmospheric nitrogen through root-nodule bacteria, and several carry stipular thorns or thigmonastic (touch-folding) leaflets, as in the sensitive plant Mimosa pudica.

Identify the species

Which Mimosaceae species is this?

Answer what you can see and narrow it down to a single Mimosaceae species.

Click a node to trace its path · pinch or scroll to zoom · drag to pan
ThornsDoes the plant have thorns or spines?
No thorns
Yes, prominent thorns
Leaf ShapeWhat shape are the leaves?
Curved sickle-shaped phyllode (single blade, not divided)
Feathery bipinnate leaflets
Leaves that fold when touched
Ovate
HabitWhat is the plant's growth habit?
Climbing vine
Shrub
Tree
Pod MarkAnything distinctive about the seed pods?
Flat rattling pod
Not sure / other
Twisted/coiled pod
Flower MarkWhat do the flowers look like?
Not sure / other
Round powder-puff pompom
Small white/cream ball
HabitWhat is the plant's growth habit?
Climbing vine
Herb
Shrub
Tree
Leaf ShapeWhat shape are the leaves?
Feathery bipinnate leaflets
Linear
Oblong
Pod MarkAnything distinctive about the seed pods?
Not sure / other
Pod constricted between seeds like a bead necklace
Twisted/coiled pod
Flower MarkWhat do the flowers look like?
Bicolor pink-and-yellow spike
Not sure / other
Small white/cream ball

How to recognise the Mimosaceae family

  • 01

    Bipinnate leaves, often with stipular thorns

  • 02

    Small actinomorphic flowers in dense heads

  • 03

    Sensitivity to touch in some species

Typical leaf characters

Characters typical of the family — individual species can vary.

Typical flower & fruit

Typical of the family — flowering plants only; species can vary.

Notable members

Black WattleAcacia aulacocarpaEar-Leaf Acacia, Darwin Black WattleAcacia auriculiformisBlack Catechu, Soap BarkAcacia caesiaBlack Cutch, Cutch Tree, White KutchAcacia catechuRed Cutch, Cutch TreeAcacia chundraBlack BaboolAcacia eburneaFragrant Acacia, Needle BushAcacia farnesianaForeign White SundraAcacia ferruginea

All 58 species in MIMOSACEAE

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