What are the common names of Mimosa hostilis?

In South, Central, and North America, this tree has played a significant part in the traditions of several indigenous cultures. The Aztecs and other indigenous groups employed the Mimosa hostilis root bark for various purposes for ages.

This species was discovered by scientists a little over 150 years ago, but it was not thoroughly investigated until the 1980s. This tree has a lot of information nowadays. Mimosa hostilis was once known as Mimosa tenuiflora, and the two names are interchangeable. Due to its prevalence in the literature and many botanical product distributors still use the earlier title, the older name is still widely known.

Jurema or Jurema-preta is a popular name among tribes in northern Brazil. The final point is to distinguish it from Jurema-branca, a Mimosa species. Meanwhile, it’s known as Tepezcohuite in Mexico, but many traditional herbalists refer to it simply as a “skin tree” because most of its uses are for skin illnesses or injuries.

It is known as “Black coal” (from the Spanish “Carbon negro”) in Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua. It’s known as “Carbonal,” “Cabrera,” or “Cabrero,” and “Carbón colorado” in Honduras, Venezuela, and Colombia. It isn’t easy to uncover particular references to Mimosa tenuiflora due to the widespread use of these names.

Mimosa hostilis scientific name

The scientific names of the species help to distinguish them from one another and eliminate ambiguity. It provides an insight into their evolutionary past. It starts with the fundamentals: is it an animal or a plant? Until each descriptive level clearly establishes that we are discussing a single species.

The full scientific description is:

• Kingdom: Plantae
• Phylum or division: Tracheophyta
• Class: Magnoliopsida
• Order: Fabales
• Family: Leguminosae (or Fabaceae)
• Genus: Mimosa
• Species: Mimosa tenuiflora

Mimosa tenuiflora [Willd] Poir is the most widely accepted scientific name (although it is also found as Poiret).

The origin of Mimosa hostilis scientific name

There is considerable controversy about the genus Mimosas and Acacias worldwide, particularly in Africa and Australia. Acacias are closely tied to decorative applications, while Mimosas are categorized as invasive species.

The Mimosas’ name originates from the Latin mimus, which means “mime or actor,” and the Greek mimos, which means “imitator, mimic.” The word Acacias comes from the Greek akakia, which means “point, thorn, sharp point,” and the first time we see it used to describe plants is in the first-century Greek physician Dioscorides’ compendium “Of medicinal substance” (Peri Ylis latrikis).

The debate over Mimosas and Acacias influenced the names that would be given to Mimosa tenuiflora. So much so that in 1806 the first botanist to describe it, Carl Ludwig Willdenow of Germany, named it Acacia tenuiflora from Venezuela. However, French botanist Jean Louis Marie Poiret reassigned this species to the genus Mimosa a few years later, in 1810. As a result, the Mimosa tenuiflora tree’s name includes the words “Willd” (for Willdenow) and “Poir” (for Poiret), in honor of the first botanists to describe it.

The recognized name in botany is the one that is thought to be the oldest, hence Mimosa tenuiflora is the proper name. Mimosa hostilis, on the other hand, is still quite popular, especially in the United States.

Where is Mimosa hostilis found?

Native to Central and South America, this big shrub or thorny medium to a large tree is a thorny medium to large tree (principally Mexico and Brazil). It is, nevertheless, present in several Latin American nations. The plant may be found in Oaxaca and Chiapas, among other places in Mexico. Paraba, Rio Grande do Norte, Ceará, Pernambuco, and Bahia are all in Brazil’s northeastern area.

Mimosa hostilis is found in bushes-covered terrain, usually in a tropical deciduous forest habitat. The dry seasons are lengthy and severe, and the rainy seasons are invariably torrential. Despite the harsh conditions, our favorite tree grows strong and robust, capable of adapting to any situation. As a result, it’s popular in nations like El Salvador, Honduras, Panama, Colombia, and Venezuela.

After a forest fire or other severe ecological disturbance, Mimosa tenuiflora thrives. It’s a plant that spreads quickly. It leaves a thin layer of mulch and ultimately humus on the ground when it sheds its leaves. Along with its ability to fix nitrogen, the tree also helps to condition the soil, preparing it for the arrival of other plant species.

What is Mimosa hostilis used for?

The tree’s bark and root are dried, crushed, and administered topically to treat burns and wounds in Mexico and other Latin American nations. The powdered bark is occasionally used to treat stomach ulcers.

To treat bronchitis and coughing, boil a handful of stem bark and leaves in a liter of water and drink the tea or syrup until the symptoms go away. Externally, the leaves and stem bark are decocted in water and used to heal skin ulcers and vaginal infections. The powdered bark is sometimes combined with Aloe vera gel, especially for first-degree burns to increase its efficacy.

According to research conducted in Mexico, the bark exhibits antibacterial and wound-healing effects against a wide range of microorganisms. However, a plant extract exhibited weak antifungal activity against a variety of pathogenic species, including Alternaria alternata and Botrytis cinerea.

In Mexico, crushed tree bark is sold in markets to treat stomach ulcers. However, no clinical trials have been conducted to determine its efficacy or safety.

Cruz et al. (2016) conducted a thorough investigation of the antinociceptive (pain-relieving) and anti-inflammatory properties of an alcohol-based extract from M. tenuiflora on mice in the lab. The findings revealed that the tree bark extracts have significant anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive properties.

The dried root bark contains around 1-1.7 percent DMT (Dimethyltryptamine), a psychedelic chemical. As part of a traditional religious ceremony known as Yurema, the bark of the roots and trees is utilized to produce an intoxicating and hallucinogenic drink.

Propolis is a bee substance generated from botanical sources used to seal their hives and has major medical applications. Propolis has different properties depending on which plants bees visit to obtain nectar and other goods. Propolis from Mimosa tenuiflora was discovered to have significant antioxidant effects in Brazilian research.

Mimosa hostilis/tenuiflora is also an excellent body paint or natural textile coloring agent.

Is Mimosa hostilis legal in the USA?

The issue usually arises when it comes to a new health and wellness product in the United States: is it legal? While the United States has a habit of banning plants, it doesn’t comprehend; Mimosa Hostilis is an exception. It is, in fact, perfectly legal!

However, this may not be the case in the future.

Why? Because Dimethyltryptamine, often known as DMT, is one of the active components in Mimosa root bark, a potent psychedelic. DMT levels in Mimosa Hostilis root bark range from 1% to 1.7 percent. DMT is also found in the bark of non-root Mimosa trees.

Surprisingly, the DMT molecules in Mimosa Hostilis root bark appear to be dormant. The plant does not produce monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MOAIs), which are required to prevent DMT from having psychedelic effects when taken orally. Regardless, consumers of Mimosa Hostilis experience DMT-like effects for unexplained reasons.

Brazilians have also long utilized Mimosa Hostilis powder as an adjunct to spiritual and hallucinogenic rites. Because of this background, controlling the plant in the United States has become considerably more complex.

Time will tell how Mimosa Hostilis will do in front of US regulatory authorities, but it is currently lawful in the United States.