Mimosa ophthalmocentra, or jurema-embira ("red jurema"), is a tree in the family Fabaceae. It is native to Brazil. It is shrub or small tree about 3 to 5 m tall. Its blossoms come in long, narrow cylindrical spikes having yellowish white petals and a white stamen. The blossoms are sometimes found to have a pink tinge. The fruit is green, sometimes with red or purple, flat, about 8 cm long and about 1 cm wide.
The trunk grows to about 20 cm in diameter.
Its wood has a density of about 1.12 g/cm3 and it makes good firewood.
Traditional use
Traditionally in northeast Brazil, for cases of cough and bronchitis, a water extract (decoction) of Mimosa ophthalmocentra is made into a drink. A handful of bark in one liter of water is used by itself or in a syrup. The solution is taken until the symptoms subside.
References
External links
Microscope slide of Mimosa ophthalmocentra wood sample (www.kew.org) Mimosa ophthalmocentra herbarium specimen (NY Botanical Gardens)