Abrus precatorius L.

10
yo^s
BOTANICAL
«GARDEN
EX HERB. HORT. BOT. REG. KEW.
FLORA OF MADAGASCAR
Abrus precatorius L.
E Madagascar, Toamasina (Tamatave) Province,
East Coast, near Ampasimanolotra (Brickaville), c. 7
km S of Ambila-Lemaitso.
18°53’S 49°08’E
Strand vegetation on pure sand, often on bare sand
with Ipomoea maritima, or amongst low shrubs.
Alt. c. 2 m
Climbing herb to c. 4 m tall; stems green, slender,
wiry. Leaves paripinnate with an apical mucro, with
11-12 pairs of leaflets; leaflets mid-green, slightly
paler beneath. Flowers in terminal pseudoracemes,
densely clustered in 2 rows of tubercles swept
towards one side of the inflorescence. Flowers c. |1
mm tall, dull pale lilac pink; calyx small, green,
funnel-shaped, scarcely lobed; standard suberect,
dull lilac with a basal pale green eye; wings lilac,
clawed, splayed from the keel forming a small
platform; keel white with a lilac pink tip, deflexing
to release the anthers. Pods dark brown, splitting
open to reveal the bright red (scarlet) and black,
glossy seeds.
^WYpftKBOTANICAL GARDEN
D.J. & B.P. Du Puy
16.4.89
M205
04800401