This prickly plant is one of the most well known common plants in Singapore. It was introduced from South America. Leaves are compound. Each of the 4 branches of the leaf has 12 - 20 pairs of small oblong leaflets. When touched, it rapidly folds its leaflets together and the whole leaf droops down.
Flowers are pinkish and small.
They are gathered into heads at the end of long stalks. Each flower has many stamens. Each joint has one seed. The flat pods have bristles along their edges. Homepage Last modified on Tuesday 15th April 1996.