Mimosa turneri

Shrubs, erect, 0.3–2 m, armed. Stems terete, glabrous; prickles infrastipular or irregular along internodes, straight or recurved; brachyblasts present. Leaves: some 1-pinnate, with 1 or 2 pairs of leaflets; stipules subulate, 1–2 mm, glabrous; petiole 0.2–0.4 cm, flattened, adaxially bisulcate; primary rachis 0.2–0.4(–0.7) cm; pinnae 1 or 2 pairs; leaflets 2 or 3 pairs, blades obliquely oblong to elliptic, 1.5–3.5 × 0.5–1.5 mm, margins eciliate, pinnate veins prominent abaxially, apex obtuse or retuse to acute, surfaces glabrous. Peduncles 0.5–1.7 cm. Inflorescences 5–25-flowered, axillary, globose or semiglobose capitula, solitary or fascicles of 2, 9–12 mm diam.; bracts spatulate, 1/5–1/3 corolla length. Pedicels 0.5 mm. Flowers bisexual; calyx campanulate, lobes 4 or 5, 1/5–1/3 corolla length; corolla purplish pink or white, glabrous, lobes 4 or 5, 1/3–1/2 corolla length; stamens 8 or 10, filaments distinct to bases, lilac-pink; ovary stipitate, glabrous; style attenuate at apex; stigma poriform. Legumes stipitate, curved, linear, 30–60 × 5–7 mm, constricted between seeds, valves with (3 or)4–6(–8) segments, bulliform, margin prickly on 1 suture, apex cuspidate to rostrate, rostrum 3–4 mm, faces glabrous; stipe 5–7 mm. Seeds (3 or)4–6(–8), brown, lenticular, 4–4.5 × 3–3.5 × 2.5–3 mm, testa porous, fissural line 25%.

Phenology: Flowering Apr–Aug; fruiting May–Aug.
Habitat: Thorn scrub, calcareous gravelly hillsides and arroyo banks.
Elevation: 600–1400 m.

N.Mex., Tex., Mexico (Coahuila, Nuevo León).

Discussion

Mimosa turneri is known from Eddy and Otero counties in New Mexico, and from Brewster, Hudspeth, Jeff Davis, Pecos, Presidio, and Val Verde counties in southwestern Texas.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa