LT COL NOEL ELLIS
28/VIII/2025
“Touch me not” or “Chui-Mui” has fascinated folks from my generation. I
am not sure about the Millennials, Zillennials, Gen Z, Gen Y, Gen Ī± and Ī². Do
they even know of this plant? I doubt it.
We are from the “Baby Boomers” generation. We had only a radio, no TV,
or mobiles. Computers were heard of but kept at arms bay. Today, things are
available at a swipe of a finger.
For us, a class of Botany was the ultimate guide to flowers, its parts
like stamen, pollen, xylem, phloem etc. A leaf was scanned under a microscope
for understanding its cellular structure. Biology class used to be very
interesting.
Time has moved on. We the ‘oldies’ are still in love with some of the
childhood favourite plants. One of them is “Mimosa Pudica”. Funny as it sounds,
it is funnier in its behaviour.
Once we knew of it, then during summer vacations we would search for as
many we could. They used to be tiny shrubs hidden in grass growing on the sides
of the road. Competition used to be, who would cycle fastest and find a plant
and collapse its leaves. Often, we got pricked by its sharp thorns.
One of our aunt’s in school was called “Lajwanti” which meant ‘shy’ or
“sharmili” but we never knew that this plant was also called by the same name.
This name is linked with shyness, daintiness, modesty, or touch sensitivity;
reflecting the cultural imagination around this plant. Its ‘leaflets’ fold
inward and droop when touched or shaken.
In parts of rural India, villagers believe in planting Mimosa Pudica at
home as it wards off the “evil eye” (buri nazar). Its shrinking leaves
symbolize absorbing and hiding away negative energies.
This reaction or reflex action is called ‘Seismonasty’. Certain
electrical signals go through its nervous system to trigger the folding of its
branches and leaves. It is a defence mechanism to make a very small profile.
This hides them from grazing herbivores.
Be that as it may. This plant was accidentally discovered by us outside
a nursery. Half of it had been crushed by the front tyre of our car. This plant
had to be given a chance to live a good life. Memories went flashing. I
extracted it carefully to be part of our garden.
Kids were introduced to it. We would touch the leave and ensure we gave
it adequate exercise, lest it forgot what it is supposed to do when agitated. I
wrote an article on it and many dear friends sent me their experiences when
they came across this plant.
One day, there were small ‘pink balls’ with ‘bristles’ which erupted on
this plant. It was flowering. I had never seen such flowers before. They were
unique. As children, we wouldn’t have bothered but now every new flower
is part of our family.
We brought it with us to the Sun City where we finally decided to anchor
after retirement. It grew for a few seasons then perished. Extreme summer heat
and incessant rains that followed took its toll. We were heart broken. Since
then, I was on the look out for a “Touch Me Not” plant.
My mother in law was generous enough to gift me one. We keep
exchanging notes on our activities with plants. I am not sure how I lost that
plant or someone had flicked it away. There was a chance as one colony resident
was on the prowl, who was caught and exposed.
For about one year, our garden was sans this plant. Little girls of our
colony whom I had introduced this plant to were so fascinated that they would
come every evening to feel and touch it. When I told them that we had lost the
plant, they were heartbroken like us.
A new roadside nursery came up next to our colony recently. The plants
displayed there were of good quality. I stopped to have a dekho one day and in
my search, I found it. I was riding my bike so picking up the plant was not
possible. On my next visit, it was in our kitty.
Today, when I was watering the plants, two flowers were showing and
there were numerous buds which had sprouted. We will have the pleasure of their
blooms till the beginning of winters, if all goes well. This time we are
determined to keep the plant safe from both natural vagaries and pot lifters.
It is a low maintenance plant and can grow into a small bush if looked
after well. The six inch pot which it is in is sufficient to bring us happiness
for times to come.
What do you call the “Touch Me Not” in your language and native place? I
wonder!!!!!!
JAI HIND
©® NOEL ELLIS
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