Abrus precatorius L.

Jequirity, Crab's Eye, Crab's Eye Creeper, Cock's Eyes, Rosary Pea (10+ additional names below)

Plants > Angiosperms > Fabaceae > Abrus precatorius

Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Angiosperms
Class: Dicots
Order: Fabales
Family: Fabaceae (Leguminosae)
Subfamily: Faboideae
Genus: Abrus
Species: precatorius

Common names: Jequirity, Crab's Eye, Crab's Eye Creeper, Cock's Eyes, Rosary Pea, Paternoster pea, Love pea, Precatory, Precatory bean, Prayer bead, John Crow bead, Coral bead, Red-bead vine, Country licorice, Indian licorice, Wild licorice, Jamaica wild licorice, Akar Saga, Coondrimany, Gidee gidee, Jumbie bead, Weather plant
Thai names: กล่ำเครือ klam khruea (Chiang Mai), กล่ำตาไก่ klam ta kai (Chiang Mai), เกมกรอม kem krom (Surin), ชะเอมเทศ cha em thet (General), ตากล่ำ ta klam (General), มะกล่ำเครือ ma klam khruea (Chiang Mai), มะกล่ำแดง ma klam daeng (Chiang Mai), มะกล่ำตาหนู ma klam ta nu (General), มะขามเถา ma kham thao (Trang), มะแค๊ก ma khaek (Chiang Mai), ไม้ไฟ mai fai (Trang), หมากกล่ำตาแดง mak klam ta daeng (Northeastern)
Chinese names: 相思子 xiang si zi
Distribution: Pantropical, origin possibly India.
Image locations: Chaiyaphum
Map info: Provinces are highlighted according to phytogeographical areas as used in the Flora of Thailand project.
Additional notes: The seeds of A. auriculiformis are highly toxic, containing Abrin. One seed well chewed can be enough to kill an adult. The seeds are also used for jewellery and in percussion instruments.

Image locations

Images of Abrus precatorius from Thailand.

Abrus precatorius (Linneaus, 1753) Chaiyaphum September

Abrus precatorius (Linneaus, 1753) Chaiyaphum December

References:
The Plant List
Forest Herbarium - BKF
Flora of China

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