Shy along the Kokuba River. Neptunia triquetra, Yellow Sensitive Plant, Naha, Okinawa, Japan

            Though its people are very hospitable and friendly but perhaps a bit shy, Naha on Okinawa can hardly be called a very pretty city. Most of this area had to be rebuilt after the utter destruction of the Second World War. And it's obvious that not much thought was given to the infrastructure of the new city. Regardless, there are numerous tropical and jungle parks and wetlands within the city or in easy reach. More than enough nature to enjoy (even the fearsome Habu pitviper, which I to my regret have not [yet] seen).
Just to the south of the city proper, there's a fairly new Waterbird and Wetland Center focused on the entire Man-ko (Lake Man) area. This is where the Kokuba and Noha Rivers flow together into an estuary 'controlled' by the East China Sea. Of course, there are mangroves here but also dry(ish) pieces. Lots of birds; lots of plants (and also the small weeds I favor).
One of these is  this Yellow Sensitive Plant, Neptunia triquetra. The 'triquetra' refers to the three sided top part of its stem. It's a 'touch-sensitive' plant and will fold its leaves if you brush them. In this way our Neptunia is like Mimosa pudicans. Hence Martin Hendrichsen Vahl (1749-1804) in 1794 classified it as Mimosa triquetra. A century later in 1874 it was called Neptunia triquetra by the English botanist George Bentham (1800-1884), and it has retained that name until today. 
Our shy plant hails originally from India and the East Indies - as especially British sources affirm. It's not mentioned in the various Floras of Japan that I use. On a list of non-native plants of Okinawa, it's characterised as now naturalised here as well as on the Bonin or Ogasawara Islands. Indeed, it's everywhere under foot along the Kokuba River.
If you look even less carefully, you will be able to see how this Triquetra differs from Mimosa pudicans. Regard that wonderful hanging clump of stamens and anthers topped by a marvellously - but hard to photograph - yellow tousle.
Needless to say,  taking this photo made my morning...
   

Taken in: 日本 / 沖縄県 / 那覇市 (show map)

Taken on: May 13, 2011

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Naha, Okinawa, Japan

Habu

Manko Waterbird and Wetland Center, Naha, Okinawa, Japan

Noha River, Naha, Okinawa, Japan

East China Sea

mangroves

Yellow Sensitive Plant

Neptunia triquetra

Mimosa triquetra

Mimosa pudicans

Martin Hendrichsen Vahl

George Bentham

Bonin Islands, Japan

Man-ko, Naha, Okinawa, Japan

Kokuba River, Naha, Okinawa, Japan

Ogasawara Island, Japan

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Camera: Sony DSC-HX1, f/4.0, 1/160 sec, 5mm, ISO 125 (more info) (hide info)

Camera:	Sony DSC-HX1
Aperture:	f/4.0
Exposure Time:	0.006 sec (1/160)
Focal Length:	5mm
ISO:	125
Exposure Bias:	0 EV
Flash:	Off, Did not fire
Exposure Program:	Program AE
Exposure Mode:	Auto
Metering Mode:	Multi-segment
White Balance:	Auto
Color Space:	sRGB
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