Indian Liquorice
Abrus precatorius
Also known as Jeguirity, Bead Vine, Black-Eyed Susan, Buddhist Rosary Bead, Crab's eye, Indian liquorice, Rosary pea, Wild liquorice
About Indian Liquorice
Abrus precatorius, commonly known as jequirity bean or rosary pea, is a herbaceous flowering plant in the bean family Fabaceae. It is a slender, perennial climber with long, pinnate-leafleted leaves that twines around trees, shrubs, and hedges. The 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. The plant is native to Asia and Australia. It has a tendency to become weedy and invasive where it has been introduced.
Description adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Plant Details
- Scientific name
- Abrus precatorius
- Genus
- Abrus
- Family
- FABACEAE
- Habit
- Climbing shrub
- Habitat
- Deciduous forests, also in the plains
- Native to
- India
- Distribution
- India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Tropical Africa
- Flowering & fruiting
- Throughout the year
- Conservation status
- Not Evaluated (NE)
Local Names
- Hindi
- चिर्मिठी Chirmithi, घुंघची Ghunghchi, गुंज Gunj
- Nepali
- आँखीगेडी Ankheegedee, रतिगेडी Ratigedee, लालगेडी
- Bengali
- চিরমিতি Chiramiti, চুনহাতি Chunahati, গুঞ্জা Gunja
- Tamil
- சிகண்டிகை Cikantikai, குன்றி Kunri, குன்றுமணி Kunrumani
- Telugu
- అతిమధురము Atimadhuramu, గుంజ Gunja, గురిగింజ Guriginja
- Kannada
- ಗುಲಗಂಜಿ Gulaganji, ಗುರುಗಂಜಿ Gurugunji, ಹಾಗ Haaga
- Malayalam
- ഗുഞ്ജ Gunja, കുന്നി Kunni, കുന്നി
- Marathi
- गुंज Gunja, मधुयष्टि Madhuyashti, रती Rati
Fabaceae
Legume/Bean family
Indian Liquorice belongs to the Fabaceae family.
The illustration represents the family — not necessarily this exact species.
Explore the FABACEAE family →Snap it. Know it.
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