''Abrus'' is a genus of

flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (). The term angiosperm is derived from the Ancient Greek, Greek words (; 'container, vessel') and (; 'seed'), meaning that the seeds are enclosed with ...

s in the

pea Pea (''pisum'' in Latin) is a pulse or fodder crop, but the word often refers to the seed or sometimes the pod of this flowering plant species. Peas are eaten as a vegetable. Carl Linnaeus gave the species the scientific name ''Pisum sativum' ...

family,

Fabaceae Fabaceae () or Leguminosae,International Code of Nomen ...

, and the only genus in the tribe Abreae. It contains 13–18 species, but is best known for a single species: jequirity ('' A. precatorius''). The highly

toxic Toxicity is the degree to which a chemical substance or a particular mixture of substances can damage an organism. Toxicity can refer to the effect on a whole organism, such as an animal, bacterium, or plant, as well as the effect on a subst ...

seed In botany, a seed is a plant structure containing an embryo and stored nutrients in a protective coat called a ''testa''. More generally, the term "seed" means anything that can be Sowing, sown, which may include seed and husk or tuber. Seeds ...

s of that species are used to make

jewellery Jewellery (or jewelry in American English) consists of decorative items worn for personal adornment such as brooches, ring (jewellery), rings, necklaces, earrings, pendants, bracelets, and cufflinks. Jewellery may be attached to the body or the ...

. Species range naturally across tropical Africa, Madagascar, the Arabian Peninsula, south and southeast Asia, southern China, New Guinea, and Australia. Some species have been introduced to the tropical Americas.

Species

*'' Abrus aureus'' R.Vig. (

Madagascar Madagascar, officially the Republic of Madagascar, is an island country that includes the island of Madagascar and numerous smaller peripheral islands. Lying off the southeastern coast of Africa, it is the world's List of islands by area, f ...

) *'' Abrus baladensis'' (

Somalia Somalia, officially the Federal Republic of Somalia, is the easternmost country in continental Africa. The country is located in the Horn of Africa and is bordered by Ethiopia to the west, Djibouti to the northwest, Kenya to the southwest, th ...

) *'' Abrus bottae'' (

Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia, officially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), is a country in West Asia. Located in the centre of the Middle East, it covers the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula and has a land area of about , making it the List of Asian countries ...

Yemen Yemen, officially the Republic of Yemen, is a country in West Asia. Located in South Arabia, southern Arabia, it borders Saudi Arabia to Saudi Arabia–Yemen border, the north, Oman to Oman–Yemen border, the northeast, the south-eastern part ...

) *''

Abrus canescens ''Abrus canescens'' is a species of flowering plant belonging to the legume family, native to Africa. It is considered almost extinct. Description The plant's stem is brown and its leaves are a rusty brown to silvery colour with trichomes ...

'' Welw. ex Baker (

Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent after Asia. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 20% of Earth's land area and 6% of its total surfac ...

) *''

Abrus cantoniensis ''Abrus'' is a genus of flowering plants in the pea family, Fabaceae, and the only genus in the tribe Abreae. It contains 13–18 species, but is best known for a single species: jequirity ('' A. precatorius''). The highly toxic seeds of tha ...

'' Hance (

China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...

) *'' Abrus diversifoliatus'' (Madagascar) *''

Abrus fruticulosus ''Abrus'' is a genus of flowering plants in the pea family, Fabaceae, and the only genus in the tribe Abreae. It contains 13–18 species, but is best known for a single species: jequirity ('' A. precatorius''). The highly toxic seeds of tha ...

'' Wall. ex Wight & Arn. (

India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...

) *''

Abrus gawenensis ''Abrus'' is a genus of flowering plants in the pea family, Fabaceae, and the only genus in the tribe Abreae. It contains 13–18 species, but is best known for a single species: jequirity ('' A. precatorius''). The highly toxic seeds of tha ...

'' Thulin (Somalia) *''

Abrus kaokoensis ''Abrus kaokoensis'' is a shrub, part of the legume family Fabaceae, native to Namibia. The species is named for the country's Kaokoveld Desert. Description ''Abrus kaokoensis'' grows as a woody suffrutex (subshrub) tall. The leaves consist of ...

'' Swanepoel & Kolberg (

Namibia Namibia, officially the Republic of Namibia, is a country on the west coast of Southern Africa. Its borders include the Atlantic Ocean to the west, Angola and Zambia to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south; in the no ...

) *''

Abrus laevigatus ''Abrus'' is a genus of flowering plants in the pea family, Fabaceae, and the only genus in the tribe Abreae. It contains 13–18 species, but is best known for a single species: jequirity ('' A. precatorius''). The highly toxic seeds of tha ...

E.Mey. Ernst Heinrich Friedrich Meyer (1 January 1791 – 7 August 1858) was a German botanist and botanical historian. Born in the Electorate of Hanover, he lectured in Göttingen and in 1826 became a professor of botany at the University of Königsb ...

(Southern Africa) *''

Abrus longibracteatus ''Abrus'' is a genus of flowering plants in the pea family, Fabaceae, and the only genus in the tribe Abreae. It contains 13–18 species, but is best known for a single species: jequirity ('' A. precatorius''). The highly toxic seeds of tha ...

'' Labat (

Laos Laos, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic (LPDR), is the only landlocked country in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by Myanmar and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the southeast, and Thailand to the west and ...

Vietnam Vietnam, officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (SRV), is a country at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of about and a population of over 100 million, making it the world's List of countries and depende ...

) *''

Abrus madagascariensis ''Abrus madagascariensis'' is a plant in the legume family Fabaceae, native to Madagascar. It grows as a herb, shrub or liana. Distribution and habitat ''Abrus madagascariensis'' is endemic to Madagascar, where it is confined to Antsiranana and ...

'' R.Vig. (Madagascar) *''

Abrus melanospermus Abrus melanospermus is a species of flowering plant in the pea and bean family Fabaceae. It is native to Africa and Asia. It was also introduced to South America. Ecology The species has an ecology in Miombo and sand woodlands in Kalahari. Ha ...

'' Hassk. (Tropical & Subtropical Asia to SW. Pacific) *'' Abrus parvifolius'' (R.Vig.) Verdc. (Madagascar) *''

Abrus precatorius ''Abrus precatorius'', commonly known as jequirity bean or rosary pea, is a herbaceous flowering plant in the bean family Fabaceae. It is a slender, perennial climber with long, pinnate-leafleted leaves that twines around trees, shrubs, and hedge ...

'' L. - Jequirity (Africa,

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...

Southeast Asia Southeast Asia is the geographical United Nations geoscheme for Asia#South-eastern Asia, southeastern region of Asia, consisting of the regions that are situated south of China, east of the Indian subcontinent, and northwest of the Mainland Au ...

) *'' Abrus pulchellus'' Wall. ex Voigt (Africa) *''

Abrus sambiranensis ''Abrus sambiranensis'' is a plant in the legume family Fabaceae, native to Madagascar. It grows as a herb or vine. Distribution and habitat ''Abrus sambiranensis'' is endemic to Madagascar, where it is confined to Antsiranana and Mahajanga prov ...

'' R.Vig. (Madagascar) *'' Abrus schimperi'' Hochst. ex Baker (Africa) *'' Abrus somalensis'' Taub. (Somalia) *''

Abrus wittei ''Abrus'' is a genus of flowering plants in the pea family, Fabaceae, and the only genus in the tribe Abreae. It contains 13–18 species, but is best known for a single species: jequirity (''Abrus precatorius, A. precatorius''). The highly ...

'' Baker f. (

Zaire Zaire, officially the Republic of Zaire, was the name of the Democratic Republic of the Congo from 1971 to 18 May 1997. Located in Central Africa, it was, by area, the third-largest country in Africa after Sudan and Algeria, and the 11th-la ...

)

References

Faboideae Fabaceae genera {{Faboideae-stub