Abrus precatorius L.

  • Authority

    Acevedo-Rodríguez, Pedro & collaborators. 1996. Flora of St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 78: 1-581.

  • Family

    Fabaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Abrus precatorius L.

  • Description

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    Species Description - Twining slender, woody vine to 3 m long, many-branched from base. Leaves once-pinnate, 3-5 cm long; leaflets 8-15 pairs, 8-1.5 x 0.3-0.7 cm, oblong to oblanceolate, membranous, puberulent on lower surface, the apex rounded and mucronulate, the base rounded, the margins entire; rachis without glands, ending in a minute mucro; stipules linear, 3-5 mm long, persistent. Flowers nearly sessile, in axillary or terminal racemes; bracts minute, deciduous. Calyx bell-shaped, 3 mm long, puberulent; corolla pink, the standard oval, to 1 cm long, wings and keel as long as the standard, clawed. Legume 2-3.5 cm long, oblong, slightly inflated, the margins slightly wavy, beaked at apex, dehiscent through both sutures. Seeds 3-6, ca. 6 mm long, subglobose, bright red with black spot at point of attachment.

  • Discussion

    Common names: crab's eye, jumbie bead, rosary bead, scrubber, wild liquorice.

    Note: Seeds of this vine are deadly poisonous if chewed and swallowed

  • Distribution

    Common roadside weed of disturbed areas. Great Cruz Bay (A2370). Also on St. Croix, St. Thomas, Tortola, and Virgin Gorda; native to the Old World, now naturalized throughout the tropics and subtropics.

    Virgin Gorda Virgin Islands South America| Tortola Virgin Islands South America| Saint Thomas Virgin Islands of the United States South America| Saint Croix Virgin Islands of the United States South America|