Subshrubs, scandent, 2–3 m, armed. Stems ribbed, tomentu­lose or glabrous; prickles along ribs, recurved. Leaves: stip­ules subulate, 2–6 mm, glabrous; petiole 1.5–3 cm; primary rachis 3.5–8.5 cm; pinnae 4–6 pairs; leaflets 4–6 pairs, blades obliquely elliptic to obovate, 5–14 × 2.5–6.5 mm, margins ciliate or eciliate, revolute, reticulate veins prominent abaxially and adaxially, apex mucronate, surfaces glabrous or puberulent. Peduncles 0.8–1 cm. Inflorescences 40–70-flowered, axillary, globose capitula, solitary or in fascicles of 2–5, or aggregated in racemes, 11–15 mm diam.; bracts spatulate, 1/3–1/2 corolla length. Pedicels 0.2–0.5 mm. Flowers bisexual; calyx campanulate, lobes (4 or)5, 1/3 corolla length; corolla white, tomentulose or glabrous, lobes (4 or)5, 1/3 corolla length; stamens (5 or 8 or)10, filaments connate at bases, white; ovary stipitate, tomentose; style attenuate at apex; stigma poriform. Legumes stipitate, curved, oblong, 4.5–7.5 cm × 6–11 mm, reticulate-veined, constricted between seeds, valves with 6–8 segments, margin sparsely prickly or unarmed, apex apiculate to rostrate, faces glabrous; stipe 10–15 mm. Seeds 6–8, dark brown, lenticular, 5 × 4.5–4.8 × 2–2.5 mm, testa porous, fissural line 90%.

Phenology: Flowering Apr–Nov; fruiting Apr–Dec.
Habitat: Scrub woodlands, thornscrub, caliche ridges, shrub thickets.
Elevation: 10–400 m.

Distribution

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Tex., Mexico (Coahuila, Nuevo León, Tamaulipas).

Discussion

Mimosa malacophylla is found in Bee, Cameron, Duval, Hays, Hidalgo, Jim Wells, Kinney, and Live Oak counties in southern and south-central Texas.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.