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Cat-claw Mimosa

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Cat-claw Mimosa (Mimosa quadrivalvis var. nuttallii). Photo by Phyllis Scherich in Comanche County, KS

Catclaw sensitive briar is a sprawling briar throughout Kansas that grows in open woodlands, prairies and especially in dry sandy soils.  Catclaw can reach 6 feet in length. Its dramatic inflorescence is pink to lavender with numerous radiating stamens. Its leaflets are sensitive to tactile stimuli that causes them to fold together. Catclaw is very nutritious for livestock but when land is overgrazed, the incidence of Catclaw declines.