#2826: Botany for children? (fwd)

[Robert Corbett <bcorbett@netcom.com>]

From: Guy Antoine <GuyAntoine@windowsonhaiti.com>

A question for the group (though I would expect Paul Paryski to respond
quickly).  There is this little plant that I remember from my youth, whose
popular name was none other than "ti fi, fèmen janm ou" [ little girl, be
decent and close your legs ].  The main characteristic of this plant was two
rows of tiny leaves that would quickly close on each other, as quickly as
you touched them.  Of course, for magical effect, you would admonish: "Ti
fi, fèmen janm ou" just as you touched them or blew on them, and they would
appear to submit to your gentle or not so gentle authority (depending on the
graveness of your childish tone).  What is the English/French, or botanical
name of that little plant in Haiti?

Guy S. Antoine
Look thru & Imagine!
http://windowsonhaiti.com