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phytolator

Yopo Identification - rapid leaf movement?

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Hi All,

I have a friend who is excitied about his young yopo seedling and posted a vid of it closing leaves rapidly in response to his misting spray...

I told him this means it must be actually Mimosa pudica, as that is the only species I know that does that.
All (most?) mimosa, acacia, desmanthus etc... close at night, but I was fairly certain that only PUDICA will rapidly fold it's leaves in response to touch.

He reckons that the seed was legit, supplied by "Herbs of the Gods" in Amsterdam, and has googled and compared the seed of each.
I never saw his seed so I don't know.

It's a very young seedling, so looks like any of 400 similar species right now..
I've grown m. pudica many times, and other acacias, but never yopo.

Wiki's "Rapid Plant Movement" page lists M. pudica, but not A. peregrina as able to fold rapidly...

Can someone confirm yopo does or doesn't rapidly fold it's leaves in response to touch?

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In response to touch, no, but Yopo certainly can close its leaves very quickly after misting or watering although not in the same legue as mimosa pudica, it should be very easy to tell what he has:

a ) was the seed a spherical shape or a very flat disk? (Anadenanthera having the larger flat seed)

b ) the leaflets of mimosa are very large in comparison to yopos. Each leaflet of a yopo would not exceed around 5mm length and are probably only 1-2mm wide. Not too mention too many to bother counting!

Of course a picture would make things easier. :)

Edited by HolographicYou
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Thanks HolographicYou,

I didn't see his seeds although the pudica seed I have grown has been flat not spherical? - I grew them to maturity and even produced more seed so I know the seeds for pudica are flat.

here's two images of the plant from his video posted on IG, showing before and after leaves folding.

Leaves folded in 3 secs of misting..

post-13622-0-00017800-1458186350_thumb.j

post-13622-0-96725400-1458186365_thumb.j

post-13622-0-00017800-1458186350_thumb.jpeg

post-13622-0-96725400-1458186365_thumb.jpeg

post-13622-0-00017800-1458186350_thumb.jpeg

post-13622-0-96725400-1458186365_thumb.jpeg

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Absolutely not a yopo seedling, unfortunately. And I can say that with absolute certainty. :/

I found a couple of images on google to demonstate the seed differences.

M. Pudica

post-13691-0-60097500-1458190822_thumb.j

A. Peregrina

post-13691-0-81486300-1458191026_thumb.j

And yes my appologies, M. Pudica does have flat seeds. I forget that most mimosas do and that hotilis is an exception.

post-13691-0-60097500-1458190822_thumb.jpeg

post-13691-0-81486300-1458191026_thumb.jpeg

post-13691-0-60097500-1458190822_thumb.jpeg

post-13691-0-81486300-1458191026_thumb.jpeg

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No-one mentions tenuiflora reacting to touch?

Strange.

I remember my vilca closing it's leaves at night or when stressed.

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tenuiflora responded to touch for me but a lot slower than pudica - still moves though aye

do your tenuiflora move rapid like pudica speed?

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