Description:
Fabaceae (pea, or legume family) »
Abrus precatorius AY-brus -- from the Greek abrus (delicate), referring to the leaflets prek-uh-TOR-ee-us -- from the Latin precari, to pray; supplication; prayerful commonly known as: 'John Crow' bead, abrus seed, black-eyed susan, buddhist rosary bead, coral pea, coral bead plant, deadly crab's eye, indian bead, indian liquorice, jamaican licorice, jequerity seeds, jequirity bean, jumbie beads, licorice vine, love bean, lucky bean, prayer beads, precatory bean, red beadvine, rosary beads, rosary pea, weather plant, wild liquorice • Bengali: গুঞ্জা guñja, গুঞ্জিকা guñjika, কুঁচ kuncha • Gujarati: રત્તી ratti • Hindi: gumchi, गुंची gunchi, गुंज gunj, ratki • Kannada: gunja, gulagunji • Konkani: मनजोटी manjoti • Malayalam: kunni, madhumulam • Marathi: गुंज gunja, khaksi, मधुयष्टि madhuyashti, रती rati • Sanskrit: गुंजा gunjaa, kakachinchi, मधुयष्टिका madhuyashtika, रक्तिका raktika, रती rati • Tamil: குந்து மணி kundu mani, குன் றி kun yi, குன்றிமணி kunyimni • Telugu: గుంజ gunja, గురిగింజ guriginja, రక్తిక raktika Origin: India, and perhaps other parts of tropical Asia.. high-climbing, twining, or trailing woody vine.. slender herbaceous branches.. leaves alternate, petioled, 5-13 cm (2-5 in) long, even-pinnately compound.. 5-15 pairs of leaflets.. oval to oblong, to 1.8 cm (< 1 in) long, with margins entire.. flowers shaped like pea flowers, white to pink or reddish, small, in shortstalked dense clusters at leaf axils. References:
Flowers of India •
Forest Flora of Andhra Pradesh •
M.M.P.N.D.. Date: 30 September 2007, 10:43. Source:
Abrus precatorius. Author:
Dinesh Valke from Thane, India.