Abrus precatorius L.

Abrus precatorius L.

Status: Accepted
Genus: Abrus Adans.
Tribe: Abreae
References: [2264][1941][1430][1790][1056][453][210]

Other names:

Abrus abrus (L.)Wright [Synonym] [1430][269]
Abrus cyaneus R.Viguier [Synonym] [269]
Abrus maculatus Noronha [Synonym] [269]
Abrus minor Desv. [Synonym] [269]
Abrus pauciflorus Desv. [Synonym] [269]
Abrus precatorius L. Var. novo-guineensis Miq. [Synonym] [2087][269][261]
Abrus squamulosus E.Meyer [Synonym] [269]
Abrus tunguensis Lima [Synonym] [269]
Glycine abrus L. [Synonym] [1587][1430][1414][1409][1408][1290][269]

Common Names:

Descriptors:

Habit:
- Herb
- Shrub
Lifespan:
- Perennial
Stems:
- Climbing
Source(s):
- 1988(Africa)Lock JM
- 1988(Americas)Zarucchi JL
- 1990(New Zealand & Pacific)Horn P
- 1991-1994 Allkin R & Verdcourt B
- 1993 Polhill RM
- 1993 Zarucchi JL
- 1993(Indian Ocean)Lock JM & Ireland H
- 1999-05 Heald J
Conservation Status:
- Not Threatened

Uses:

Domestic [1587]
Fibre [14]
Medicine [14] [52]
Miscellaneous [2264]
Toxins [14] [24] [52] [1941]
Weed [2968]

Geographical Distribution:

Africa [561] [2457] [3057]
- Angola-ISO [216]
- Benin [212]
- Botswana [8]
- Cameroon [8]
- Cape Verde [268]
- Chad [64]
- Equatorial Guinea-ISO [212]
- Ethiopia [24]
- Gabon [16]
- Ghana [212]
- Guinea [212]
- Kenya [210]
- Liberia [212]
- Malawi [8]
- Mali [212] [561]
- Mozambique [8]
- Namibia-ISO [232]
- Niger [78]
- Nigeria [212]
- Rwanda [220]
- Sao Tome & Principe [217]
- Senegal [212]
- Sierra Leone [212]
- Somalia [8] [2457]
- South Africa [8] [3057]
  - Natal [3057]
- Sudan [29]
- Tanzania [210]
- Togo [212]
- Uganda [210]
- Zaire [230]
- Zambia [28]
- Zimbabwe [8]

Asia [261] [1587] [1914] [1929] [1937] [1938] [1947] [3056]
- Bhutan [1947]
- Cambodia [1937]
- India [1914]
- Irian Jaya [261]
- Laos [1937]
- Pakistan [1938]
- Sri Lanka [1587]
- Taiwan [1929]
- Thailand [1937]
- Vietnam [1937]

Australasia [261] [3055]
- Australia [210] [3055]
- Papua New Guinea [261]

Caribbean [453] [1056] [1102] [1290] [1409] [1430] [1790] [2136] [2153] [2157]
- Antigua-Barbuda [1790]
- Bahamas [2153]
- Barbados [1790]
- Cayman Is [453] [1056]
- Cuba [1102] [1409]
- Dominica [1790] [2136]
- Dominican Republic [2157]
- Grenada [1790]
- Guadeloupe [1290] [1790]
- Haiti [2157]
- Jamaica [1056]
- Martinique [1290] [1790]
- Montserrat [1790]
- Netherlands Leeward Is [1790]
- Puerto Rico [1430]
- St Kitts-Nevis [1790]
- St Martin-St Barthelemy [1790]
- St Vincent [1790]

Central America [1645]
- Belize [1242] [1645]
- Costa Rica [1645] [1658]
- Guatemala [1645]
- Mexico(South East) [1645]
- Panama [1224] [1243]

Indian Ocean [1915] [1941] [3052] [3053] [3054]
- Aldabra [1941]
- Comoro Is [3054]
- Madagascar [210]
- Mauritius [210] [1915]
- Mayotte [3054]
- Reunion [1915]
- Rodrigues [1915]
- Seychelles [210] [1941]

North America [1360] [3055]
- United States [1360] [1431]

Pacific Ocean [261] [1940] [2264] [2266] [2968]
- Bismarck Archipelago [261]
- Fiji [1940] [2264]
- Niue [2266]
- Society Is [2968]

South America [2285]
- Brazil [1103] [1231] [1233] [1414]
- Colombia [1292]
- French Guiana [1408]
- Guyana [2285]
- Peru [1442]
- Surinam [2285]

Notes:

Two subspecies:see subsp.precatorius & subsp.africanus;only latter in Africa. [210]
The seeds are used as goldsmiths weights. [1587]
Seeds contain abrin, one of the most potent toxic principles known. [2968]

Last Update: 14/06/2001 12:56:05