The fascinating ‘shame plant’
The plant which many Jamaicans call ‘shame old lady, or dead and wake’, or ‘shamey macca’, or ‘shame plant’ is really a flowering plant with the botanical name mimosa pudica.
The plant has been a source of fascination for years, especially among children, given that it closes its leaves when it is touched, after which the stem of the leaves bends backward to expose thorns to protect the plant from being harmed. The leaves then reopen a few minutes later.
The mimosa also exhibits this movement during the night and when it is exposed to abiotic factors such as excessive heat and rain.
Scientists says the plant possesses antibacterial, antivenom, anti-fertility, anticonvulsant, antidepressant, aphrodisiac, and other pharmacological activities. Historians also say it has been used traditionally for ages, in the treatment of urogenital disorders, piles, dysentery, sinus, and is also applied to wounds.
