Abrus precatorius L.

/Abrus_precatorius/Abrus_precatorius.tif.JPG

🗒 Synonyms

synonym	Abrus abrus (L.)Wright
synonym	Abrus cyaneus R.Vig.
synonym	Abrus maculatus Noronha
synonym	Abrus minor Desv.
synonym	Abrus pauciflorus Desv.
synonym	Abrus precatorius var. novo-guineensis Miq.
synonym	Abrus squamulosus E.Mey.
synonym	Abrus tunguensis Lima
synonym	Glycine abrus L.

🗒 Common Names

Assamese	Kunchmoni Latumoni
Bengali	गुंच Gunch
English	Bead Vine Black-Eyed Susan Buddhist Rosary Bead Crab's eye Indian liquorice Rosary pea Wild liquorice
Gujarati	Chanothi
Hin	Gunchi
Hindi	Ratti गुंची Gunchi रत्ती Ratti
Irula	Kurukangi
Kannada	गुलगुंजी Gulugunji
Malayalam	Chuvannakunni Gunj Kakani Kunni Kunnikuru
Marathi	गुंज Gunja
Other	Coral Bead Vine Crab Eyed Creeper Gunj Indian Licorice Or Saga Tree Jequirity 'john Crow' Bead Kakani Kunni Kurukangi Precatory Bean Rosary Pea
Sanskrit	गुंजा Gunjaa
Tamil	Gundumani Gundu Mani குந்து மணி Kundu Mani

📚 Overview

Overview

Summary

Climber

Dr. Chandra Barooah & Iftikher Ahmed (2014) Assam Science Technology and Environment Council.

Attributions	Dr. Chandra Barooah & Iftikher Ahmed (2014) Assam Science Technology and Environment Council.
Contributors	admin
Status	UNDER_CREATION
Licenses	CC_BY
References

Brief

Flowering class: Dicot Habit: Climber

Dr. N Sasidharan (Dr. B P Pal Fellow), Kerala Forest Research Institute, Peechi

Attributions	Dr. N Sasidharan (Dr. B P Pal Fellow), Kerala Forest Research Institute, Peechi
Contributors	D. Narasimhan
Status	UNDER_CREATION
Licenses	CC_BY
References

Diagnostic

Diagnostic Keys

Description

Habit: Twining shrub

G. Renu, Sanjana Julias Thilakar, D. Narasimhan, Centre for Floristic Research, Department of Botany, Madras Christian College, Tambaram

Attributions	G. Renu, Sanjana Julias Thilakar, D. Narasimhan, Centre for Floristic Research, Department of Botany, Madras Christian College, Tambaram
Contributors	G Renu D. Narasimhan Sanjana Julias Thilakar
Status	UNDER_CREATION
Licenses	CC_BY
References

Woody perennial twining shrubs; young stems puberulent. Leaves even-pinnate; leaflets 12-16 pairs, 0.8-2.5 x 0.4-1 cm, oblong to elliptic, base and apex obtuse, lower surface sparsely pubescent. Flowers pink, in axillary racemes; bracts deltoid, minute; bracteoles c. 1mm across, suborbicular. Calyx 2-4 mm long, hispid. Petals 9-12 mm long. Stamens 9, monadelphous. Ovary subsessile, many ovuled; style incurved. Pods 3-4 x 1-1.5 cm, oblong, slightly inflated, fulvo-puberulent. Seeds many, 5-7 x 4-5 mm, subglobose, scarlet red with black eyes.

Dr. N Sasidharan (Dr. B P Pal Fellow), Kerala Forest Research Institute, Peechi

Attributions	Dr. N Sasidharan (Dr. B P Pal Fellow), Kerala Forest Research Institute, Peechi
Contributors	D. Narasimhan
Status	UNDER_CREATION
Licenses	CC_BY
References

Habit: A small, wiry straggler, to 5m.

Keystone Foundation

Attributions	Keystone Foundation
Contributors	Keystone Foundation
Status	UNDER_CREATION
Licenses	CC_BY
References

SubSpecies Varieties Races

Diagnostic Keys

Description

No Data

📚 Nomenclature and Classification

Nomenclature and Classification

Taxon Record Name

References

Type Information

No Data

📚 Natural History

Natural History

Life Cycle

Cyclicity

Flowering and fruiting: October-May

Dr. N Sasidharan (Dr. B P Pal Fellow), Kerala Forest Research Institute, Peechi

Attributions	Dr. N Sasidharan (Dr. B P Pal Fellow), Kerala Forest Research Institute, Peechi
Contributors	D. Narasimhan
Status	UNDER_CREATION
Licenses	CC_BY
References

Flower

In terminal and/or axillary pseudoracemes, clustered around the swollen nodes of rachis; pink coloured. Flowering throughout the year.

Fruit

An oblong pod, thinly septate, pilose, wrinkled; seeds upto 5, subglobose. Fruiting throughout the year.

Field tips

Seeds blood red with a lateral black blotch around the hilum.

Leaf Arrangement

Alternate-spiral

Leaf Type

Paripinnate

Leaf Shape

Oblong

Leaf Apex

Obtuse

Leaf Base

Obtuse

Leaf Margin

Entire

Keystone Foundation

Attributions	Keystone Foundation
Contributors	Keystone Foundation
Status	UNDER_CREATION
Licenses	CC_BY
References

Pollinators

Bees

Miscellaneous Details

Notes: Deciduous forests also in the plains

G. Renu, Sanjana Julias Thilakar, D. Narasimhan, Centre for Floristic Research, Department of Botany, Madras Christian College, Tambaram

Attributions	G. Renu, Sanjana Julias Thilakar, D. Narasimhan, Centre for Floristic Research, Department of Botany, Madras Christian College, Tambaram
Contributors	G Renu Sanjana Julias Thilakar D. Narasimhan
Status	UNDER_CREATION
Licenses	CC_BY
References

Caterpillars of common Cerulean and Indian Sunbeam butterflies feed on the plant. The dried leaves eaten with betel leaves. The seeds are toxic.

Keystone Foundation

Attributions	Keystone Foundation
Contributors	Keystone Foundation
Status	UNDER_CREATION
Licenses	CC_BY
References

No Data

📚 Habitat and Distribution

Habitat and Distribution

General Habitat

Less common in thickets in scrub jungle upto 600m. Indian subcontinent and Tropical Africa.

Keystone Foundation

Attributions	Keystone Foundation
Contributors	Keystone Foundation
Status	UNDER_CREATION
Licenses	CC_BY
References

Degraded forest land, forest road,periphery

Dr. Chandra Barooah & Iftikher Ahmed (2014) Assam Science Technology and Environment Council.

Attributions	Dr. Chandra Barooah & Iftikher Ahmed (2014) Assam Science Technology and Environment Council.
Contributors	admin
Status	UNDER_CREATION
Licenses	CC_BY
References

Deciduous forests, also in the plains

Dr. N Sasidharan (Dr. B P Pal Fellow), Kerala Forest Research Institute, Peechi

Attributions	Dr. N Sasidharan (Dr. B P Pal Fellow), Kerala Forest Research Institute, Peechi
Contributors	D. Narasimhan
Status	UNDER_CREATION
Licenses	CC_BY
References

Distribution

Description

Maharashtra: Common throughout Kerala: All districts

G. Renu, Sanjana Julias Thilakar, D. Narasimhan, Centre for Floristic Research, Department of Botany, Madras Christian College, Tambaram

Attributions	G. Renu, Sanjana Julias Thilakar, D. Narasimhan, Centre for Floristic Research, Department of Botany, Madras Christian College, Tambaram
Contributors	G Renu Sanjana Julias Thilakar D. Narasimhan
Status	UNDER_CREATION
Licenses	CC_BY
References

Scarce in the scrub jungles and deciduous forests from plains to 600m. India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Tropical Africa.

Keystone Foundation

Attributions	Keystone Foundation
Contributors	Keystone Foundation
Status	UNDER_CREATION
Licenses	CC_BY
References

Global Distribution

India: Assam, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Maharatsra, Kerala, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh; Myanmar, Malaysia

Indian Distribution

Assam

Dr. Chandra Barooah & Iftikher Ahmed (2014) Assam Science Technology and Environment Council.

Attributions	Dr. Chandra Barooah & Iftikher Ahmed (2014) Assam Science Technology and Environment Council.
Contributors	admin
Status	UNDER_CREATION
Licenses	CC_BY
References

Global Distribution

Pantropical

Indian distribution

State - Kerala, District/s: All Districts

Dr. N Sasidharan (Dr. B P Pal Fellow), Kerala Forest Research Institute, Peechi

Attributions	Dr. N Sasidharan (Dr. B P Pal Fellow), Kerala Forest Research Institute, Peechi
Contributors	D. Narasimhan
Status	UNDER_CREATION
Licenses	CC_BY
References

Endemic Distribution

No Data

📚 Occurrence

Occurrence

No Data

📚 Demography and Conservation

Demography and Conservation

Protection Legal Status

No Data

📚 Uses and Management

Uses and Management

Uses

System of Medicines Used In

Homoeopathy

Ayurveda

Folk medicine

Siddha

Unani

Traditional chinese medicine

Sowa-Rigpa

The seeds are used for jewellers weights and for necklaces and other ornaments. The leaves are chewed fresh.

Keystone Foundation

Attributions	Keystone Foundation
Contributors	Keystone Foundation
Status	UNDER_CREATION
Licenses	CC_BY
References

System Of Medicines Used In

Ayurveda, Folk medicine, Homoeopathy, Siddha, Sowa-Rigpa, Unani, Traditional chinese medicine

FRLHT's ENVIS Centre on Medicinal Plants: http://envis.frlht.org/plant_details.php?disp_id=15

Attributions	FRLHT's ENVIS Centre on Medicinal Plants: http://envis.frlht.org/plant_details.php?disp_id=15
Contributors	FRLHT-ENVIS
Status	UNDER_CREATION
Licenses	CC_BY
References

Medicinal

Dr. N Sasidharan (Dr. B P Pal Fellow), Kerala Forest Research Institute, Peechi

Attributions	Dr. N Sasidharan (Dr. B P Pal Fellow), Kerala Forest Research Institute, Peechi
Contributors	D. Narasimhan
Status	UNDER_CREATION
Licenses	CC_BY
References

Folklore

Indigenous Information: Seeds used to make jewels.

Keystone Foundation

Attributions	Keystone Foundation
Contributors	Keystone Foundation
Status	UNDER_CREATION
Licenses	CC_BY
References

Management

No Data

📚 Information Listing

Information Listing

Species Resources

Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS)

The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (IUCN)

Encyclopedia of Life (EOL)

Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF)

National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI)

References

iodiversity Documentation for Kerala Part 6: Flowering Plants, N. Sasidharan, 2004, Flora of Kolhapur District, Yadav S. R & Sardesai M. M, 2002, Flora of Maharastra State Dicotyledones, Vol I, Lakshminarasimhan P. & Prasanna P. V, 2000

D K Ved, Suma Tagadur Sureshchandra, Vijay Barve, Vijay Srinivas, Sathya Sangeetha, K. Ravikumar, Kartikeyan R., Vaibhav Kulkarni, Ajith S. Kumar, S.N. Venugopal, B. S. Somashekhar, M.V. Sumanth, Noorunissa Begum, Sugandhi Rani, Surekha K.V., and Nikhil Desale. 2016. (envis.frlht.org / frlhtenvis.nic.in). FRLHT's ENVIS Centre on Medicinal Plants, Bengaluru. http://envis.frlht.org/plant_details.php?disp_id=15

Abrus precatorius L., Syst. Nat. (ed. 12) 2: 472.1767; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 2:175.1876; Gamble, Fl. Pres. Madras 349(247). 1918; Mohanan, Fl. Quilon Dist. 135. 1984; Ansari, Fl. Kasaragod Div. 115. 1985; Antony, Syst. Stud. Fl. Kottayam Dist. 118. 1989; Babu, Fl. Malappuram Dist. 155. 1990; Vajr., Fl. Palghat Dist. 145. 1990; Sanjappa, Legumes Ind. 74. 1992; M. Mohanan & Henry, Fl. Thiruvanthapuram 133. 1994; Sasidh. & Sivar., Fl. Pl. Thrissur For. 129. 1996; Sivar. & Mathew, Fl. Nilambur 173. 1997; Sasidh., Fl. Chinnar WLS 83. 1999; Sasidh., Fl. Parambikulam WLS 83. 2002; Anil Kumar et al., Fl. Pathanamthitta 155. 2005; Sunil & Sivadasan, Fl. Alappuzha Dist. 196. 2009; Ratheesh Narayanan, Fl. Stud. Wayanad Dist. 263. 2009.
Glycine abrus L., Sp. Pl. 753. 1753.

Information Listing > References

iodiversity Documentation for Kerala Part 6: Flowering Plants, N. Sasidharan, 2004, Flora of Kolhapur District, Yadav S. R & Sardesai M. M, 2002, Flora of Maharastra State Dicotyledones, Vol I, Lakshminarasimhan P. & Prasanna P. V, 2000
D K Ved, Suma Tagadur Sureshchandra, Vijay Barve, Vijay Srinivas, Sathya Sangeetha, K. Ravikumar, Kartikeyan R., Vaibhav Kulkarni, Ajith S. Kumar, S.N. Venugopal, B. S. Somashekhar, M.V. Sumanth, Noorunissa Begum, Sugandhi Rani, Surekha K.V., and Nikhil Desale. 2016. (envis.frlht.org / frlhtenvis.nic.in). FRLHT's ENVIS Centre on Medicinal Plants, Bengaluru. http://envis.frlht.org/plant_details.php?disp_id=15
Abrus precatorius L., Syst. Nat. (ed. 12) 2: 472.1767; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 2:175.1876; Gamble, Fl. Pres. Madras 349(247). 1918; Mohanan, Fl. Quilon Dist. 135. 1984; Ansari, Fl. Kasaragod Div. 115. 1985; Antony, Syst. Stud. Fl. Kottayam Dist. 118. 1989; Babu, Fl. Malappuram Dist. 155. 1990; Vajr., Fl. Palghat Dist. 145. 1990; Sanjappa, Legumes Ind. 74. 1992; M. Mohanan & Henry, Fl. Thiruvanthapuram 133. 1994; Sasidh. & Sivar., Fl. Pl. Thrissur For. 129. 1996; Sivar. & Mathew, Fl. Nilambur 173. 1997; Sasidh., Fl. Chinnar WLS 83. 1999; Sasidh., Fl. Parambikulam WLS 83. 2002; Anil Kumar et al., Fl. Pathanamthitta 155. 2005; Sunil & Sivadasan, Fl. Alappuzha Dist. 196. 2009; Ratheesh Narayanan, Fl. Stud. Wayanad Dist. 263. 2009.
Glycine abrus L., Sp. Pl. 753. 1753.