Rosary pea, Abrus precatorius is native to Asia and Australia.
Rosary pea (Abrus precatorius) is a slender, herbaceous, perennial climber in the bean family Fabaceae. The plant is native to Asia and Australia.
๐ฟThe vine usually twines around trees, shrubs and hedges. It has no special organs of attachment.
๐ฟThe leaves are long, pinnate compound leaves with opposite leaflets .
๐ฟPinkish-white flowers are produced in tightly clustered racemes, that are much shorter than the leaves
๐ฟThe fruit is a flat, oblong pod with sharp deflexed beak and has a silky-texture. The seedpod curls back when it opens to reveal the seeds.
๐ฟThe plant is best known for its seeds, which are used as beads and in percussion instruments, and which are toxic because of the presence of abrin. Ingestion of a single seed, well chewed, can be fatal to both adults and children.
๐ฟThere are two varieties, one with white seeds and the other with red seeds.
The white variety is used to prepare oil that is claimed to be an aphrodisiac. A tea is made from the leaves and used for fevers, coughs and colds. Seeds are poisonous and therefore must only consumed after proper heat treatment.
๐ฟSeeds were also used in jewelry making and weight measures in olden days.
Source:
Reference
Plants of Singapore
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