Mimosaceae

Mimosa is from the Greek mimos mimic, because the sensitive leaves in many species mimic an animal characteristic i.e., sensitivity. This family is sometimes treated as a subfamily of Fabaceae s.lat. or by the old alternative name Leguminosae. Trees shrubs and subshrubs with leaves alternate, simple or compound and maybe modified to phyllodes. Flowers regular, 4-5-merous, corolla valvate in bud; stamens 10-numerous usually prominent. Fruit a pod.