3856.000 Abrus Adans.

Brummitt, R.K., Harder, D.K., Lewis, G.P., Lock, J.M., Polhill, R.M. & Verdcourt, B. (2007) Leguminosae Subfamily Papilionoideae Flora Zambesiaca 3(3)

Description of the genus

Woody subshrubs or lianes. Leaves paripinnate; leaflets numerous, opposite, the rhachis projecting beyond the last pair. Inflorescences axillary or terminal; bracts and bracteoles present. Flowers white, yellow, pink or purple. Pod linear or oblong. Seeds subspherical or ellipsoid and flattened, usually shining, sometimes bright red and black (precatorius).

Worldwide: 17 species occurring throughout the tropics

Zambia: 5 taxa.

Abrus precatorius subsp. africanus

Links to taxa:     View: living plant images - herbarium specimen images - all images for this genus

SpeciesFZ divisionsProvincesContent
canescens Welw. ex Baker N
fruticulosus Wall. ex Wight & Arn.C,E,SDescription, Image
melanospermus (Hassk.) D.K.Harder subsp. suffruticosus (Boutique) D.K.Harder B,N,W,CLp,N,Lk
melanospermus Hassk. subsp. tenuiflorus (Benth.) D.K. HarderN,W
precatorius L. subsp. africanus Verdc.B,N,C,EDescription, Image

Other sources of information about Abrus:

Our websites:

Flora of Botswana: Abrus
Flora of Caprivi: Abrus
Flora of Caprivi: cultivated Abrus
Flora of Malawi: Abrus
Flora of Mozambique: Abrus
Flora of Zimbabwe: Abrus

External websites:

African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Abrus
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Abrus
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Abrus
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Abrus
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
iNaturalist: Abrus
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Abrus
JSTOR Plant Science: Abrus
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Abrus
Plants of the World Online: Abrus
Tropicos: Abrus
Wikipedia: Abrus

Copyright: Mike Bingham, Annette Willemen, Bart Wursten, Petra Ballings and Mark Hyde, 2011-24

Bingham, M.G., Willemen, A., Wursten, B.T., Ballings, P. and Hyde, M.A. (2024). Flora of Zambia: Genus page: Abrus.
https://www.zambiaflora.com/speciesdata/genus.php?genus_id=757, retrieved 19 April 2024

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