Taxon:  Abrus precatorius L.



Summary
Genus:
Abrus
Family:
Fabaceae (alt. Leguminosae)
Subfamily:
Faboideae
Tribe:
Abreae
Nomen number:
739
Place of publication:
Syst. nat. ed. 12, 2:472.  1767
Verified:
10/21/1986 ARS Systematic Botanists.
Accessions:
17 (1  active, 0  available) in National Plant Germplasm System.  (Map it)
Other conspecific taxa
Abrus precatorius L. subsp. africanus Verdc. (0 active accession[s])
Abrus precatorius L. subsp. precatorius (0 active accession[s])
Autonyms (not in current use), synonyms and invalid designations
Heterotypic Synonym(s)
Glycine abrus L.

Images (3 total. Click on image for more.)
Fruit

Conservation Status

Reference(s)
  1. University of Georgia Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health
  2. Aldén, B., S. Ryman, & M. Hjertson. 2012. Svensk Kulturväxtdatabas, SKUD (Swedish Cultivated and Utility Plants Database; online resource)
  3. APHIS. Agricultural Risk Management System United States Department of Agriculture.
  4. Aubréville, A. et al., eds. 1960-. Flore du Cambodge du Laos et du Viet-Nam.
  5. Boudet, G. et al. 1986. Catalogue des plantes vasculaires du Mali
  6. Breteler, F. J. 1960. Revision of Abrus Adanson (Pap.) with special reference to Africa. Blumea 10:617.
  7. Brunel, J. F. et al., eds. 1984. Flore analytique du Togo. Phanerogames
  8. Dassanayake, M. D. & F. R. Fosberg, eds. 1980-. A revised handbook to the flora of Ceylon.
  9. Duke, J. A. et al. 2002. CRC Handbook of medicinal herbs
  10. Encke, F. et al. 1984. Zander: Handwörterbuch der Pflanzennamen, 13. Auflage
  11. Fosberg, F. R. et al. 1979-1982. Geographical checklist of the Micronesian Dicotyledonae/ Pteridophyta and Gymnospermae.
  12. Germishuizen, G. & N. L. Meyer, eds. 2003. Plants of southern Africa: an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14 National Botanical Institute, Pretoria, South Africa.
  13. Grierson, A. J. C. & D. J. Long. 1984-. Flora of Bhutan including a record of plants from Sikkim.
  14. Groth, D. 2005. pers. comm. Note: re. Brazilian common names
  15. Hanelt, P., ed. 2001. Mansfeld's encyclopedia of agricultural and horticultural crops. Volumes 1-6
  16. Hara, H. et al. 1978-1982. An enumeration of the flowering plants of Nepal.
  17. Holm, L. et al. 1979. A geographical atlas of world weeds
  18. Howard, R. 1974-1989. Flora of the lesser Antilles.
  19. Huang, S. F. & T. C. Huang. 1987. Taxonomic treatment of the Papilionoideae (Leguminosae) of Taiwan. Taiwania 32:11-117.
  20. Integrated Botanical Information System (IBIS). Australian plant common name database (on-line resource).
  21. Kala, C. P. et al. 2004. Prioritization of medicinal plants on the basis of available knowledge, existing practices and use value status in Uttaranchal, India. Biodivers. & Conservation 13:461.
  22. Keay, R. W. J. & F. N. Hepper. 1953-1972. Flora of west tropical Africa, ed. 2.
  23. Kellerman, T. S. et al. 1988. Plant poisonings and mycotoxicoses of livestock in Southern Africa
  24. Kingsbury, J. M. 1964. Poisonous plants of the United States and Canada. Note: poisonous
  25. Lampe, K. F. & M. A. McCann. 1985. AMA handbook of poisonous and injurious plants Note: poisonous
  26. Lazarides, M. & B. Hince. 1993. CSIRO Handbook of Economic Plants of Australia
  27. Liberty Hyde Bailey Hortorium. 1976. Hortus third. A concise dictionary of plants cultivated in the United States and Canada
  28. Lock, J. M. & J. Heald. 1994. Legumes of Indochina: a checklist
  29. Lock, J. M. 1989. Legumes of Africa: a checklist
  30. McGuffin, M., J. T. Kartesz, A. Y. Leung, & A. O. Tucker. 2000. Herbs of commerce, ed. 2 American Herbal Products Association, Silver Spring, Maryland.
  31. Munro, D. B. Canadian poisonous plants information system (on-line resource).
  32. Nasir, E. & S. I. Ali, eds. 1970-. Flora of [West] Pakistan.
  33. Personal Care Products Council. International Nomenclature Cosmetic Ingredient
  34. Porcher, M. H. et al. Searchable World Wide Web Multilingual Multiscript Plant Name Database (MMPND) (on-line resource).
  35. Sanjappa, M. 1992. Legumes of India
  36. Smith, R. J. Botanical beads of the world (on-line resource).
  37. Soukup, J. 1970. Vocabulario de los nombres vulgares de la flora peruana.
  38. Terrell, E. E. et al. 1986. Agricultural Handbook no. 505
  39. Turrill, W. B. et al., eds. 1952-. Flora of tropical East Africa.
  40. Verdcourt, B. 1970. Studies in the Leguminosae-Papilionoideae for the 'Flora of Tropical East Africa': II. Kew Bull. 24:240.
  41. Westphal, E. & P. C. M. Jansen, eds. 1989. A selection. In: Faridah Hanum, I. & L. J. G. van der Maesen, eds., Plant Resources of South-East Asia (PROSEA) A:27.
Common names
LanguageNameAlternate namenoteseqCitation
Englishcoral-beadplant  1Liberty Hyde Bailey Hortorium. 1976. Hortus third. A concise dictionary of plants cultivated in the United States and Canada
Englishcrab's-eye  1Liberty Hyde Bailey Hortorium. 1976. Hortus third. A concise dictionary of plants cultivated in the United States and Canada
Englishgidee-gidee  1Integrated Botanical Information System (IBIS). Australian plant common name database (on-line resource).
EnglishIndian-licorice  1Liberty Hyde Bailey Hortorium. 1976. Hortus third. A concise dictionary of plants cultivated in the United States and Canada
EnglishIndian-liquorice  1Integrated Botanical Information System (IBIS). Australian plant common name database (on-line resource).
Englishjequirity  1Duke, J. A. et al. 2002. CRC Handbook of medicinal herbs
Englishjequirity-bean  1Terrell, E. E. et al. 1986. Agricultural Handbook no. 505
Englishlicorice-vine  1Liberty Hyde Bailey Hortorium. 1976. Hortus third. A concise dictionary of plants cultivated in the United States and Canada
Englishlove-bean  1Kellerman, T. S. et al. 1988. Plant poisonings and mycotoxicoses of livestock in Southern Africa
Englishlucky-bean  1Kellerman, T. S. et al. 1988. Plant poisonings and mycotoxicoses of livestock in Southern Africa
Englishminnie-minnies  1Kellerman, T. S. et al. 1988. Plant poisonings and mycotoxicoses of livestock in Southern Africa
Englishprayer-beads  1Liberty Hyde Bailey Hortorium. 1976. Hortus third. A concise dictionary of plants cultivated in the United States and Canada
Englishprecatory  1McGuffin, M., J. T. Kartesz, A. Y. Leung, & A. O. Tucker. 2000. Herbs of commerce, ed. 2 American Herbal Products Association, Silver Spring, Maryland.
Englishprecatory-bean  1Terrell, E. E. et al. 1986. Agricultural Handbook no. 505
Englishred-beadvine  1Liberty Hyde Bailey Hortorium. 1976. Hortus third. A concise dictionary of plants cultivated in the United States and Canada
Englishrosary-pea  1Liberty Hyde Bailey Hortorium. 1976. Hortus third. A concise dictionary of plants cultivated in the United States and Canada
Englishweatherplant  1Liberty Hyde Bailey Hortorium. 1976. Hortus third. A concise dictionary of plants cultivated in the United States and Canada
Englishweathervine  1Liberty Hyde Bailey Hortorium. 1976. Hortus third. A concise dictionary of plants cultivated in the United States and Canada
Portuguese (Brazil)alcaçuz-da-américa  2Groth, D. 2005. pers. comm. Note: re. Brazilian common names
Portuguese (Brazil)assacumirim  2Groth, D. 2005. pers. comm. Note: re. Brazilian common names
Portuguese (Brazil)jequiriti  2Groth, D. 2005. pers. comm. Note: re. Brazilian common names
Portuguese (Brazil)olho-de-cabra-miúdo  2Groth, D. 2005. pers. comm. Note: re. Brazilian common names
Portuguese (Brazil)olho-de-pombo  2Groth, D. 2005. pers. comm. Note: re. Brazilian common names
Portuguese (Brazil)tento  2Groth, D. 2005. pers. comm. Note: re. Brazilian common names
Swedishpaternosterböna  2Aldén, B., S. Ryman, & M. Hjertson. 2012. Svensk Kulturväxtdatabas, SKUD (Swedish Cultivated and Utility Plants Database; online resource)
Distribution
order_codeStatusContinentSubcontinentCountryStateNoteReference
1NativeAfricaEast Tropical AfricaKenya  Lock, J. M. 1989. Legumes of Africa: a checklist
1NativeAfricaEast Tropical AfricaTanzania  Lock, J. M. 1989. Legumes of Africa: a checklist
1NativeAfricaEast Tropical AfricaUganda  Lock, J. M. 1989. Legumes of Africa: a checklist
1NativeAfricaNortheast Tropical AfricaSudan  Lock, J. M. 1989. Legumes of Africa: a checklist
1NativeAfricaSouthern AfricaBotswana  Germishuizen, G. & N. L. Meyer, eds. 2003. Plants of southern Africa: an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14 National Botanical Institute, Pretoria, South Africa.
1NativeAfricaSouthern AfricaEswatini  Germishuizen, G. & N. L. Meyer, eds. 2003. Plants of southern Africa: an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14 National Botanical Institute, Pretoria, South Africa.
1NativeAfricaSouthern AfricaNamibia  Germishuizen, G. & N. L. Meyer, eds. 2003. Plants of southern Africa: an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14 National Botanical Institute, Pretoria, South Africa.
1NativeAfricaSouthern AfricaSouth AfricaEastern Cape Germishuizen, G. & N. L. Meyer, eds. 2003. Plants of southern Africa: an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14 National Botanical Institute, Pretoria, South Africa.
1NativeAfricaSouthern AfricaSouth AfricaKwaZulu-Natal Germishuizen, G. & N. L. Meyer, eds. 2003. Plants of southern Africa: an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14 National Botanical Institute, Pretoria, South Africa.
1NativeAfricaSouthern AfricaSouth AfricaLimpopo Germishuizen, G. & N. L. Meyer, eds. 2003. Plants of southern Africa: an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14 National Botanical Institute, Pretoria, South Africa.
1NativeAfricaSouthern AfricaSouth AfricaMpumalanga Germishuizen, G. & N. L. Meyer, eds. 2003. Plants of southern Africa: an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14 National Botanical Institute, Pretoria, South Africa.
1NativeAfricaWest Tropical AfricaNiger  Lock, J. M. 1989. Legumes of Africa: a checklist
1NativeAfricaWest Tropical AfricaTogo  Lock, J. M. 1989. Legumes of Africa: a checklist
1NativeAfricaWest-Central Tropical AfricaRwanda  Lock, J. M. 1989. Legumes of Africa: a checklist
1NativeAfricaWestern Indian OceanMadagascar  Lock, J. M. 1989. Legumes of Africa: a checklist
1NativeAfricaWestern Indian OceanMauritius  Lock, J. M. 1989. Legumes of Africa: a checklist
1NativeAfricaWestern Indian OceanSeychelles  Lock, J. M. 1989. Legumes of Africa: a checklist
1NativeAsia-TemperateChinaChinaGuangdong Sheng  
1NativeAsia-TemperateChinaChinaGuangxi Zhuangzu Zizhiqu  
1NativeAsia-TemperateChinaChinaYunnan Sheng  
1NativeAsia-TemperateEastern AsiaTaiwan   
1NativeAsia-TropicalIndian SubcontinentBangladesh   
1NativeAsia-TropicalIndian SubcontinentIndia   
1NativeAsia-TropicalIndian SubcontinentPakistan  Nasir, E. & S. I. Ali, eds. 1970-. Flora of [West] Pakistan.
1NativeAsia-TropicalIndian SubcontinentSri Lanka  Dassanayake, M. D. & F. R. Fosberg, eds. 1980-. A revised handbook to the flora of Ceylon.
1NativeAsia-TropicalIndo-ChinaCambodia  Lock, J. M. & J. Heald. 1994. Legumes of Indochina: a checklist
1NativeAsia-TropicalIndo-ChinaLaos  Lock, J. M. & J. Heald. 1994. Legumes of Indochina: a checklist
1NativeAsia-TropicalIndo-ChinaMyanmar  Lock, J. M. & J. Heald. 1994. Legumes of Indochina: a checklist
1NativeAsia-TropicalIndo-ChinaThailand  Lock, J. M. & J. Heald. 1994. Legumes of Indochina: a checklist
1NativeAsia-TropicalIndo-ChinaVietnam  Lock, J. M. & J. Heald. 1994. Legumes of Indochina: a checklist
1NativeAsia-TropicalMalesiaIndonesia   
1NativeAsia-TropicalMalesiaMalaysia   
1NativeAsia-TropicalMalesiaPhilippines   
1NativeAsia-TropicalPapuasiaPapua New Guinea   
1NativeAustralasiaAustraliaAustraliaNorthern Territory  
1NativeAustralasiaAustraliaAustraliaQueensland  
1NativeAustralasiaAustraliaAustraliaWestern Australian. 
1NativePacificNorthwestern PacificMicronesia   
1NativePacificSouth-Central PacificFrench PolynesiaTuamotu Archipelago  
1NativePacificSouthwestern PacificFiji   
2Cultivated    cult. in tropicsHanelt, P., ed. 2001. Mansfeld's encyclopedia of agricultural and horticultural crops. Volumes 1-6
4Naturalized    natzd. in neotropics 
Native
Africa
  • NORTHEAST TROPICAL AFRICA: Sudan
  • EAST TROPICAL AFRICA: Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda
  • WEST-CENTRAL TROPICAL AFRICA: Rwanda
  • WEST TROPICAL AFRICA: Niger, Togo
  • SOUTHERN AFRICA: Botswana, Namibia, Eswatini, South Africa [Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga]
  • WESTERN INDIAN OCEAN: Madagascar, Mauritius, Seychelles
Asia-Temperate
  • CHINA: China [Guangdong Sheng, Guangxi Zhuangzu Zizhiqu, Yunnan Sheng]
  • EASTERN ASIA: Taiwan
Asia-Tropical
  • INDIAN SUBCONTINENT: Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan
  • PAPUASIA: Papua New Guinea
  • INDO-CHINA: Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam
  • MALESIA: Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines
Australasia
  • AUSTRALIA: Australia [Queensland, Western Australia (n.), Northern Territory]
Pacific
  • NORTHWESTERN PACIFIC: Micronesia
  • SOUTH-CENTRAL PACIFIC: French Polynesia [Tuamotu Archipelago]
  • SOUTHWESTERN PACIFIC: Fiji
Cultivated (cult. in tropics)
Naturalized (natzd. in neotropics)

Reference(s)
  1. Dassanayake, M. D. & F. R. Fosberg, eds. 1980-. A revised handbook to the flora of Ceylon.
  2. Germishuizen, G. & N. L. Meyer, eds. 2003. Plants of southern Africa: an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14 National Botanical Institute, Pretoria, South Africa.
  3. Hanelt, P., ed. 2001. Mansfeld's encyclopedia of agricultural and horticultural crops. Volumes 1-6
  4. Lock, J. M. & J. Heald. 1994. Legumes of Indochina: a checklist
  5. Lock, J. M. 1989. Legumes of Africa: a checklist
  6. Nasir, E. & S. I. Ali, eds. 1970-. Flora of [West] Pakistan.
Economic Uses
UsageTypeNoteReference
Environmentalornamental Hanelt, P., ed. 2001. Mansfeld's encyclopedia of agricultural and horticultural crops. Volumes 1-6
Materialsbeads Soukup, J. 1970. Vocabulario de los nombres vulgares de la flora peruana.
Materialsbeads Smith, R. J. Botanical beads of the world (on-line resource).
Medicinesfolklore Kala, C. P. et al. 2004. Prioritization of medicinal plants on the basis of available knowledge, existing practices and use value status in Uttaranchal, India. Biodivers. & Conservation 13:461.
Medicinesfolklore McGuffin, M., J. T. Kartesz, A. Y. Leung, & A. O. Tucker. 2000. Herbs of commerce, ed. 2 American Herbal Products Association, Silver Spring, Maryland.
Medicinesfolklore Duke, J. A. et al. 2002. CRC Handbook of medicinal herbs
Vertebrate poisonsmammals Kingsbury, J. M. 1964. Poisonous plants of the United States and Canada. Note: poisonous
Vertebrate poisonsmammals Lampe, K. F. & M. A. McCann. 1985. AMA handbook of poisonous and injurious plants Note: poisonous
Weedseed contaminantpotentialHolm, L. et al. 1979. A geographical atlas of world weeds
Cite as: USDA, Agricultural Research Service, National Plant Germplasm System. 2026. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN Taxonomy). National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland.
URL: https://npgstest.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/taxon/taxonomydetail?id=739. Accessed 15 April 2026.