Mimosa (Caesalpinioideae, Fabaceae) occurring in the upper Parana River floodplain, Parana and Mato Grosso do Sul states

The vegetation of the Paraná River (PIARP), especially in the floodplain located between the states of Paraná and Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil, consists of a great diversity of plant species, particularly from the Mimosoide clade. Among the genera of the Mimoseae clade that occur in the floodplain, Mimosa deserves to be highlighted, and should be studied. The taxonomic study of Mimosa was carried out through the analysis of vouchers from different herbaria. At PIARP, Mimosa is represented by 17 taxons, 15 species and 4 varieties. Mimosa is considered the second largest genus of the Mimosoideae clade, found in the most diverse environments of PIARP, from tropical and subtropical forests to savannas, desert, pasture and wetlands. The present investigation consists of the survey of the species, identification key, illustrated morphological description, and also includes additional information on the geographic distribution and ecological importance of each species of the genus.