Sensitive Plant

an herb belonging to the pea family. It is an erect, hairy plant, a native of Brazil. The leaves are long, petioled, and have numerous pairs of leaflets arranged pinnately. Purplish flowers are clustered in heads. The fruit is a spiny, pointed pod. The plant has a peculiar property of being sensitive to the touch. At the slightest touch the leaflets droop, closing together in pairs. At a second or more decided touch, the petiole bends downward, depressing the leaf toward the stalk. If left undisturbed, the petiole rises and the leaflets spread again. A blow on one leaf may cause several leaves to droop and close. The plant is tropical. It is cultivated in conservatories, and as a house plant for amusement, rather than for ornamental purposes. The partridge pea and other related plants native to the United States are sensitive likewise to a considerable degree. See Senna