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Abrus precatorius

Botanic Family
Leguminosae
Author
Linnaeus
Propagation
S.
Cultivated
C, medicine, ornamental

Common Names

Geographical Habitats

Natural Habitats

Flowering Times

Fruiting Times

Twining slender deciduous perennial glabrous slightly woody liana, creeper or subshrub, stems villous or hairy. Paripinnate leaves to 200mm long, to 8-20 pairs, leaflets to 30mm long, glabrous above, puberulent beneath, mucronate. 100mm axillary or terminal dense pseudo-racemes of white, yellow to pink or violet 15mm long flowers with dark pink centre, 5-toothed calyx to 2mm long slightly villous outside, glabrous petals, standard 10mm long, wings & keel as long as standard. Fruit a pale green finely villous or glabrescent flat pod to 50mm long x 15mm covered in dense short hairs & with a hooked beak, red seeds with black eye.

Deadly poisonous seeds, medicinal uses, ornamental. Can become a nuisance weed.

Medicinal uses, ornamental, Leaves & seeds cooked for eating, all parts of plant have medicinal uses. Stems used for binding, seed used for necklaces & unit of weight. Cultivated. Used in India as arrow poison, seeds used for weighing gold, making rosaries & jewellery. Roots & leaves used as licorice alternative. A variety with white seeds is prized as a medicine.

Further References