Abrus 



LEGUMINOS^. 



43 



Symh. Ant. iv. 298. Phaseolus glycyrrhizites &c. Sloane Cat. 70 &: 

 Hist. {. 180, t. 112,/. 4, 5, 6. P. arborescens alatus &c. Pluk. 

 Phyt. t. 214,/. 5, 6 & Aim. 294. Glycine foliis pinnatis conjugatis 

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

 1025. G. scandens &c. Broicne Hist. Jam. 297. (Fig. 11.) Type 

 in Herb. Hermann in Herb. Mus. Brit. ' 



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

 Common at low elevations ; in fl. Oct., Nov. ; Sloane Herb. iii. 71, 72 1 

 Hotistounl Broughton\ Macfadyen ; WuUschlaegel ; Prior-; Long Mt., 



Fig. 11. — Abrus precatorius L. 



A, Leaves and raceme x § 



B, Standard X 8. 



C, Wing X i'. 



(After Bcntley & Trimen.) 



D, Keel x |. 



E, Stamens and pistil X f. 



F, Pod and seeds x f . 



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

 Hitchcock ; Hope grounds ; Halfway Tree ; Miss Wood I — Tropics. 



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

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

 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, strung 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. 



