Abrus 



LEC1U MINOS, i: 



43 



S >j nib. Ant. iv. 298. Phaseolus glycyrrhizites &c. Sloane Cat. 70 A: 

 J/Vsf. /. 180, /. 112, /. 4, 5, 6. P. arborescens alatus &c. Plult. 

 Pliyt. t. 214, /. 5, 6 & Aim. 294. Glycine foliis pinnatis conjugates 

 &c. L. Flor. Zeyl 130. G. Abrus L. Sp. PL 753 (1753) & ed. 2, 

 1025. G. scandens <fcc. Dm,,-,,,- ///W. ,/,/,. 297. (Fig. 11.) Type 

 in Herb. Hermann in Herb. Mus. Brit. 



Wild Liquorice, Bed Bead Vine, Crab's Eyes. 

 Common at low elevations ; iu fl. Oct., Nov. ; Sloane Herb. iii. 71, 72 ! 

 Houstounl Broughtonl Macfadyen ; Wullschlacgcl ; Prior; Long Mt., 



Fig. 11. Abrus precatorius L. 



A, Leaves and raceme x g. 



B, Standard X : . 



C, Wing x /. 



(After Bentley & Trimen.) 



D, Keel X ?. 



E, Stamens and pistil x 



F, Pod and seeds x 



west, near Kingston, Harris ! Constant Spring, Port Morant, Lucea, 

 Hitchcock; Hope grounds ; Halfway Tree ; Miss Woodl Tropics. 



A climbing shritb ; branches many, twining. Leaves 6-13 cm. 1. ; 

 leaflets in 10-20 pairs, lingulate-oblong, deciduous, 1-2 cm. 1. Iiaconc* 

 short, crowded, many-flowered. Calyx 2-4 mm. 1. Corolla flesh-coloured, 

 9-1-2 cm. 1. Pod oblong, somewhat rectangular, 3-5-seeded, to 4 cm. 1. 

 Seeds bright scarlet with a black spot (or black, or whitish or mixed black 

 and white). 



The roots are used as a substitute for liquorice. The leaves have a 

 sweet taste, and are made into tea for coughs and pleurisies (Wright). 

 The seeds are principally employed, sti-uiig like beads, to form necklaces 

 and rosaries; and it is, from their being employed for the latter purpose, 

 that the plant has received its specific designation (Macfadyen). They are 

 used by goldsmiths in India as weights. 



