SafePlants

Chamaecrista nictitans: The Sensitive Partridge Pea

Chamaecrista nictitans, also known as the sensitive partridge pea, small partridge pea, sensitive cassia, or wild sensitive plant, is a herbaceous legume species. This plant is notable for its leaves that are often sensitive to touch, folding when disturbed.

Considerations for Pets

• The text mentions spines on the tips of the plant.

Considerations for Children

• The plant has leaflets that are sensitive to touch and fold when disturbed.

Quirky Facts

• The leaves close completely at night because they are sensitive to light.
• The plant is also called the "Sleeping Plant" because of this behavior.
• The leaflets are called "sensitive" because the leaves fold together when touched.

Taxonomy and Nomenclature

• Scientific Name: Chamaecrista nictitans (L.) Moench var. nictitans
• Family: Fabaceae (Pea Family)
• Subfamily: Caesalpinioideae
• Kingdom: Plantae
• Taxonomic Rank: Subspecies
• Synonyms: Cassia nictitans
• Other Common Names: Sensitive plant, sensitive partridge pea, partridge pea.
• Etymology: Chamaecrista comes from the Greek adverb 'chamai' meaning "on".

Distribution and Habitat

• The sensitive partridge pea is native to North America.
• It is widespread and locally common.
• A Jamaican type specimen was collected in 1786 from a damp ditch.
• It occurs in similar habitats as the closely related Wild Sensitive Plant (C. nictitans).

Morphological Characteristics

• It is a slender-stemmed annual, typically growing up to 1 foot tall.
• The leaves are pinnately compound, with each leaf comprising up to 20 leaflets.
• It has small but prominent yellow flowers.

Ecological Role

• The plant is a nitrogen-fixing annual, contributing to soil rebuilding.
• Partridge pea seeds provide food for quail, prairie-chickens, pheasants, ducks, and other grassland birds.
• The nectar from the plant also serves as a food source.
• It is a caterpillar food plant for a number of butterflies.