Rosary Pea
Rosary Pea
Abrus precatorius
Also known as: jumbie bead · crab's eye · crab's eyes · jequirity · Luckybean Creeper · Luckybean Creeper / Rosary Pea
Plantae
UNCOMMON

Stats

Lifespan
Perennial
Size
Large
Diet
Photosynthetic
Biome
Tropical rainforest
Range
Southeast Asia
Movement
Sessile
Breeding
Seeds
Defense
Toxins
Status
Uncommon

About

This slender vine climbs over tropical trees and shrubs using its twining stems. Its bright red seeds contain a protein that stops cells from producing necessary proteins.

Life cycle

  1. 1.
    seed
    A dormant seed waits for water and warmth before germinating.
  2. 2.
    sprout
    A first shoot emerges with cotyledon leaves and a tap root reaching down.
  3. 3.
    sapling
    A young plant grows true leaves and a stem or trunk, putting on height each season.
  4. 4.
    mature
    Fully grown, flowering or fruiting at adult size.

Learn more

Taxonomy

Kingdom
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Order
Fabales
Family
Fabaceae
Genus
Abrus
Species
Abrus precatorius