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Abrus precatorius weighs about 12 seeds per gram. The seed weight (carat, rati) is so consistant that it was used for weighing precious stones and metals.

Abrus precatorius "Jequerity, Rosary Pea, Hung Tou" in profile.

Abrus precatorius, Jequerity, Rosary Pea, Hung Tou, Fabaceae.
Fabaceae

B & T World Seeds reference:
89

Common names and Synonyms:
Kaincha , Kawa , Runja, Tento muido, Crab's Eye, Jequerity, Cain Ghe, Graines Reglisse, Hint Meyankoku, Hung Tou, Jequerit, Liane Reglisse, Ma Liao Tou, Paratella, Paternoster, Peonia De St Tomas, Peonia, Pois Rouge, Reglisse, To-Azuki, Weesboontje, Rakat, Carat Seed, Crab's Eye Vine, Gidee Gidee, Gunchi, Indian Liquorice, Jequirity Bean, Lucky Bean Creeper, Prayer Beads, Precatory Bean, Red Bead, Rosary Pea, Weather Plant.

Flower:
White to pink to violet, pea family flowers to 1.5 cm. The rose to purple flowers are crowded at the end of stalks. - see photograph.

Fruit:
Fruits are short, inflated pods, splitting open when mature to reveal the round, hard and shiny seeds which are scarlet but black at the base - see photographs. Seeds contain abrin, the most toxic known plant poison.

Foliage:
Pinnate leaflets to 2cm x 6mm. Each leaf has about 20 pairs of narrow, oblong leaflets - see photograph.

Height:
Climbing plant to 10 meters.

Uses:
Abrus precatorius Medicinal - not recommended due to extreme toxicity (Abortifacient, Ache(Head), Anodyne, Antidote, Aphrodisiac, Bilious, Bite(Snake,) Bladder, Blennorrhagia, Boil, Cancer, Chest, CNS-Sedative, Cold, Colic, Collyrium, Conjunctivitis, Consumption, Contraceptive, Convulsion, Cough, Diarrhea, Diuretic, Dysuria, Emetic, Emollient, Enteritis, Epithelioma, Expectorant, Expectorant, Eye Fatal, Fatality, Febrifuge, Fever, Fracture(Veterinary), Freckle, Gastritis, Gingivitis, Gonorrhea, Gravel, Heart, Hemostat, Hoarseness, Homicide, Hookworms, Insomnia, Jaundice, Kidney, Laxative, Loin, Malaria, Masticatory, Myalgia, Night-Blindness, Ophthalmia, Ordeal, Pectoral, Poison, Puerperium, Purgative, Refrigerant, Rheumatism, Sedative, Skin, Sprue, Stomach, Styptic, Throat, Trachoma, Urogenital, Venereal, Vermifuge), Sweetener, (like Liquorice), Psychotropic? Sacred.

Minimum Temperature:
USDA zone: 9 (10 to 20°F, down to about -6°C, but keep dry during winter resting period).

 

Abrus precatorius is included in the following B & T World Seeds sub-lists:

Abrus precatorius Cultivation:

Originally from India, Abrus precatorius is adaptable to most soils, but prefers a tropical climate with reasonably high rainfall and a sunny position.
Propagation is by scarified seed sown in spring. Abrus precatorius seeds germinate more consistantly if scarified. Cover the seeds with very hot water and soak overnight or until they swell. Pick out those that didn't swell and repeat process with them. Sow swollen seeds immediately in seeding mix, covering with two to three times their thickness. Do not overwater or allow to dry out and provide good drainage and bright light. Should germinate within a few weeks with pretreatment or erratically without.

Supply:

Abrus precatorius seeds are in stock for immediate dispatch.

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