Abrus |
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abrus |
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Stems | twining, pubescent becoming glabrescent. |
Leaves | alternate, even-pinnate; stipules present; petiolate; leaflets 16–40, opposite, stipels absent or minute, blade margins entire, surfaces glabrous or pubescent. |
Inflorescences | 10–30-flowered, axillary or terminal, racemes [pseudoracemes or fascicles]; bracts and bracteoles present. |
Flowers | papilionaceous; calyx campanulate, lobes 5; corolla pink or lavender to white, [yellowish, blue, or purplish]; stamens 9, vexillary stamen absent, connate 1/2 length; anthers dorsifixed, uniform or 4 smaller; ovary densely strigose; style slightly curved, relatively short, glabrous; stigma terminal, capitate, penicillate. |
Fruits | legumes, subsessile, slightly inflated [compressed], curved, oblong [linear], beaked, elastically dehiscent, puberulent. |
Seeds | (1–)3–7, subglobose [ellipsoid and compressed]. |
Vines | , perennial, woody or suffrutescent, unarmed. |
Abrus |
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Distribution |
Asia; Africa; pantropical; tropical; and subtropical regions [Introduced, Florida; introduced also in Mexico, West Indies, Central America, South America, Indian Ocean Islands, Pacific Islands, Australia] |
Discussion | Species ca. 17 (1 in the flora). (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Source | FNA vol. 11. |
Parent taxa | |
Subordinate taxa | |
Name authority | Adanson: Fam. Pl. 2: 327, 511. (1763) |
Web links |