bio.wikisort.org - Plant

Mimosa ophthalmocentra, or jurema-embira ("red jurema"), is a tree in the family Fabaceae. It is native to Brazil.[1] It is shrub or small tree about 3 to 5 m tall.[2][3] Its blossoms come in long, narrow cylindrical spikes having yellowish white petals and a white stamen.[3] The blossoms are sometimes found to have a pink tinge.[4] The fruit is green, sometimes with red or purple, flat, about 8 cm long and about 1 cm wide.[4]

Mimosa ophthalmocentra
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Rosids
Order:	Fabales
Family:	Fabaceae
Subfamily:	Caesalpinioideae
Clade:	Mimosoid clade
Genus:	Mimosa
Species:	M. ophthalmocentra
Binomial name
Mimosa ophthalmocentra Mart. ex Benth., 1875[1]

The trunk grows to about 20 cm in diameter.[2]

Its wood has a density of about 1.12 g/cm³[5] and it makes good firewood.[6]

Traditional use

Traditionally in northeast Brazil, for cases of cough and bronchitis, a water extract (decoction) of Mimosa ophthalmocentra is made into a drink.[7] A handful of bark in one liter of water is used by itself or in a syrup.[7] The solution is taken until the symptoms subside.[7][8]

References

External links

• Microscope slide of Mimosa ophthalmocentra wood sample (www.kew.org)
• Mimosa ophthalmocentra herbarium specimen (NY Botanical Gardens)^{[permanent dead link]}

---