Mimosa

 Mimosaceae

©The World Botanical Associates Web Page
Prepared by Richard W. Spjut
Dec 2007

Mimosa aculeaticarpa
Black Gap Management Rec Area, TX
Nov 2007

Mimosa aculeaticarpa
Hidalgo Co., NM near AZ state line
Nov 2007

 

Mimosa albida

Camargo-Ricalde S. L. and S S. Dhillion.  2003.  Endemic Mimosa species can serve as mycorrhizal "resource islands" within semiarid communities of the Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Valley, Mexico. Mycorrhiza. 13(3):129-36.  “This paper explores if Mimosa species (Fabaceae-Mimosoideae) can serve as arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) and nutrient "resource islands" in six plant communities in the semiarid valley of Tehuacán-Cuicatlán, Mexico. Spatial heterogeneity related to the occurrence of Mimosa species results in temporal differences in AM-fungal spore numbers and soil nutrients. A higher number of AM-fungal spores were found in the soil below the canopies of six endemic Mimosa species than in the soil from non-vegetated areas. For four species, Mimosa adenantheroides, Mimosa calcicola, Mimosa luisana and Mimosa polyantha, the soil below their canopies had more AM-fungal spores than the soil in non-vegetated areas during the wet season than during the dry season. Two species, Mimosa lacerata and Mimosa texana var. filipes, however, had more spores under their canopies during the dry season than during the wet season. Although physical differences are present within and between sites, in general the soil below the canopies of Mimosa species had significantly higher nutrient levels than the soil from non-vegetated areas. Mimosa species thus form "resource islands" that are not only rich in nutrients but also in mycorrhizal propagules. Mimosa species can serve as mycorrhizal "resource islands" by directly affecting AM-fungal spore dynamics and/or by serving as spore-traps. A range of plants associated with Mimosa species may benefit from the higher number of AM propagules. We believe that the use of Mimosa resource islands as an option for biodiversity conservation and for land restoration ought to be considered in the Valley.

Ohsaki A., Yokoyama R., Miyatake H. and Y. Fukuyama. 2006. Two diterpene rhamnosides, mimosasides B and C, from Mimosa hostilis. Chem. Pharm. Bull. (Tokyo) 54(12):1728–1729. “Two new diterpene rhamnosides, mimosasides B and C (1, 2) were isolated together with mimosaside A (3), a known diterpene rhamnoside (4), four known flavones (5-8), five known flavanones (9-13), and four known chalcones (14-17) from the leaves and twigs of a Brazilian medicinal plant, Mimosa hostilis.

Rivera-Arce E., M. Gattuso, R. Alvarado, E. Zárate, J. Agüero, I. Feria and X. Lozoya.  2007.  Pharmacognostical studies of the plant drug Mimosae tenuiflorae cortex. J. Ethnopharmacol. 113(3): 400–408.  “The bark of the Mimosa tenuiflora (Willd.) Poiret (Leguminoseae) tree, known as tepescohuite in Mexico, is commonly used in this country and in Central America to elaborate different products for the treatment of skin burns and lesions. The cicatrizing properties of extracts obtained from this bark have been scientifically studied, attributing the main biological activity to its tannin and saponin content. Studies include clinical trials of phytodrugs based on Mimosae tenuiflora bark extracts for treatment of venous leg ulcerations. Recent commercialization of the plant drug Mimosae tenuiflorae cortex requires pharmacognostical information to develop quality-control methods for raw materials and extracts produced with this plant drug. The present paper reports a group of ethnobotanical, morphological, chemical, and molecular studies performed with Mimosae tenuiflora materials obtained by collection in the southeastern Mexican state of Chiapas. Macro- and micro-morphological parameters were established to authenticate the genuine drug that allowed detection of adulterants usually found in commercial samples of this plant material. These morphological characteristics can be used for rapid identification of the drug and are particularly useful in the case of powdered materials. The chemical studies performed demonstrated that tannins represent the major component group in the bark. Its content in genuine tepescohuite is 16% and is mainly composed of proanthocyanidins, a condition permitting a tannin-based chemical-control method for fingerprinting the plant drug. Contrariwise, the saponin concentration in Mimosae tenuiflora bark is extremely low, and its isolation and content evaluation represent a complex procedure that is unsuitable for routine control purposes. Finally, random amplified DNA (RAPD) analysis results a useful tool for obtaining DNA specific markers of Mimosae tenuiflora species which should be useful in future studies involving raw material authentication by molecular methods.

Villarreal M. L., P. Nicasio and D. Alonso-Cortés. 1991. Effects of Mimosa tenuiflora bark extracts on WI38 and KB human cells in culture. Arch. Invest. Med. (Mex.) 22(2):163–169. “The effects of three extracts from barks of Mimosa tenuiflora (Willd) Poir, Leguminosae, on the growth rate of two human cell lines were investigated. The plant material was extracted with petroleum ether, ethylacetate and butanol, and the obtained products were evaluated in their ability to modify growth of WI38 normal embryonic fibroblasts, and KB cells from a nasopharyngeal carcinoma in tissue culture conditions. The ethylacetate and butanol extracts produced growth rate inhibition with a different pattern depending on the cell line studied; in contrast, the petroleum ether extract markedly increased proliferation of the same cells in vitro.