The strange and beautiful shameplant

Flower of shameplant or mimosa pudica - Photo: Still Gravity.
The amazing flower of shameplant - License our images here.

The flowers of this plant look alien. In close view, they appear covered by tiny lights. Electric plant? No. Just an illusion.  

Shameplant is Mimosa pudica for science - pudica means "shame" or "shrinking" in Latin. It's a curious plant for its sensitive leaves that react to the touch and fold inward. Minutes later, they will go back to normal. 

This is how the leaves look when open. 

The open leaves of shameplant or Mimosa pudica - Photo: Still Gravity.
Open leaves of shameplant. 

The folding of the leaves are an example of sensitive defense against potential predators. The plant tries to reduce its exposure. The folding comes from a flow of potassium within the leaf. 

Shameplant is native to the tropical Americas but lives well in South Florida and regions with similar climate around the world. It's considered an invasive species in many places - a beautiful invasive. 

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