Abrus abrus (L.) Wright
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Authority
Britton, Nathaniel L. & Millspaugh, Charles F. 1920. The Bahama Flora.
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Family
Fabaceae
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Scientific Name
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Description
Species Description - Stems woody below, nearly herbaceous above, climbing or twining to a length of 2-3 m., glabrous, or the young parts sparingly pubescent. Stipules linear, acute, 3-5 mm. long; petioles short, mostly less than 1 cm. long; leaves 5-10 cm. long, the very slender rachis sparingly pubescent; leaflets 8-15 pairs, 8-20 mm. long, oblong or the upper ones obovate, glabrous above, sparingly puberulent beneath, rounded and mucronulate at the apex, rounded at the base, very short-stalked, readily detached when dry; racemes peduncled, 3-8 cm. long; corolla red to purple, rarely white, 8-10 mm. long; pod oblong, beaked, 2-3.5 cm. long, about 1 cm. wide; seeds scarlet with a black base.
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Distribution
Scrub-lands and waste places, Andres, New Providence, Eleuthera, Cat Island and Great Exuma : West Indies; continental tropical America; Old World tropics. Crab's-eyes. Black-eyed Susan.
San Andrés y Providencia Colombia South America| New Providence Bahamas South America| Central Eleuthera Bahamas South America| Cat Island Bahamas South America| Exuma Bahamas South America| West Indies|