mimosa

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(mĭ-mō'sə, -zə) pronunciation
n.
  1. Any of various mostly tropical herbs, shrubs, and trees of the genus Mimosa, having globular heads of small flowers with protruding stamens and usually bipinnate, compound leaves that are often sensitive to touch or light.
  2. See silk tree.
  3. A drink consisting of champagne and orange juice.

[New Latin Mīmōsa, genus name, from Latin mīmus, mime (from the plant's apparent mimicry of animal reactions), from Greek mīmos.]



Any member of the more than 450 species that make up the genus Mimosa in the pea family (Fabaceae), native to tropical and subtropical areas throughout both hemispheres. Most are herbaceous plants or undershrubs; some are woody climbers; a few are small trees. They are often prickly. Mimosas are widely cultivated for the beauty of their foliage and for their interesting response to light and mechanical stimuli: the leaves of some species droop in response to darkness and close up their leaflets when touched. The name comes from this mimicking of animal sensibility. The roots of some species are poisonous; others contain skin irritants. Many acacias are commonly but incorrectly called mimosas. sensitive plant.

For more information on mimosa, visit Britannica.com.

American name for a mixture of sparkling wine and orange juice, known in the UK as buck's fizz.

[mih-MOH-suh] 1. A garnish so named because it resembles the yellow mimosa flower. Consisting of finely chopped, hard-cooked egg yolk, it is sprinkled over salads and vegetables. 2. A cocktail of equal parts champagne and orange juice, served icy cold but not over ice. It's a favorite with brunch.

mimosa (mĭmō'), any tree, shrub, or herb of the genus Mimosa of the family Leguminosae (pulse family), chiefly tropical plants. They usually have feathery foliage and rounded clusters of fragrant pinkish flowers atop the branches. Mimosas are used for ornamental purposes in warm regions. The yellow-flowered plants sold as mimosa by florists are usually of the related genus Acacia (see acacia). Most widely known of the mimosas is the sensitive plant (M. pudica), considered a weed in the American tropics but cultivated as a greenhouse annual elsewhere because its leaves fold up and collapse under stimulus (e.g., touch, darkness, or drought) until the whole plant may assume temporarily a thoroughly wilted appearance. It is now naturalized in many warm regions and grows wild in the Gulf states. The name sensitive plant is also applied to other plants of this family that show similar movements. Mimosa is classified in the division Magnoliophyta, class Magnoliopsida, order Rosales, family Leguminosae.



Pea family
Leguminosae

My-mo'sa. An immense genus of 400-500 species of mostly tropical American herbs, shrubs, and trees, only 2 much cultivated in the U.S.

Description
Leaves alternate, twice-compound, the leaflets numerous, usually very small, arranged feather-fashion. Flowers small, more or less tubular, in dense, ball-like clusters. Stamens protruding.

How to Grow
Where summers are short, start seeds indoors very early in peat pots. Transplant to sunny, well-drained garden soil or large containers, 2 plants per container. Where frost-free period is 7-8 months, sow seeds outdoors 3 weeks before last frost. Thin so that plants are 12 in. (30 cm) apart. Prefers warm weather.

Mimosa pudica
Sensitive Plant ; Humble Plant . To 3 ft. (90 cm) high, stems more or less hairy and slightly spiny. Flowers rose-purple or lavender, small round heads ⅔ in. (17 mm) in diameter, in long-stalked clusters growing from leaf axils. Tropical America; naturalized in Fla. and along the Gulf Coast. Generally grown as a novelty, since the leaves fold up to the stems when touched or in cloudy weather. Tender perennial grown as a tender annual.




The botanical name for sensitive plant.

Plant genus in the legume family Mimosaceae; contain toxin mimosine; includes M. invisa (giant sensitive plant), M. pudica (sensitive plant).

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Random House Word Menu by Stephen Glazier
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Mimosa (magazine)

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Dan Steffan cover illustration for Mimosa 16: "Dan's Satyr" (1994)

Mimosa was a science fiction fanzine edited by Richard Lynch and Nicki Lynch. It won six Hugo Awards for Best Fanzine (in 1992, 1993, 1994, 1997, 1998 and 2003) and was nominated a total of 14 times (1991-2004).

Published from 1982 until 2003, Mimosa focused on discussions of the history and impact of science fiction fandom. Contributors included Forrest J Ackerman, Ron Bennett, John Berry, Vin¢ Clarke, Sharon N. Farber, Dave Kyle, Mike Resnick, Bob Shaw, Harry Warner, Jr., Ted White and Walt Willis.

Illustrators

The cartoonists and illustrators who contributed to Mimosa included Sheryl Birkhead, Kurt Erichsen, Debbie Hughes, Julia Morgan-Scott, Peggy Ranson, Stu Shiffman, Dan Steffan, Steve Stiles, Charlie Williams and Kip Williams. Covers by Hugo Award for Best Fan Artist winners included Brad W. Foster, Ian Gunn, Teddy Harvia and Joe Mayhew.

Issues 1-16 were produced via mimeograph, while issues 17-30 were printed commercially. The two-volume A Mimosa Fanthology collected the best from the first 27 issues. [1] [2]


The last article in the final issue (#30) of Mimosa (August 2003), "Footprints in the Sand" by Michael A. Burstein, is one of several articles published during the late 1990s and early 2000s pondering the possibility of science fiction fandom's eventual death.

References

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