Abrus precatorius.
Botanical name:
ABRUS PRECATORIUS, L. Liquorice bush, Red bean, Love pea. A small ornamental and medical shrub, found from Florida to Brazil, also in Egypt and East Indies. It belongs to monodelphia enneandria, and to the leguminose tribe. Well known by its beautiful scarlet seeds with a black spot, used as beads by the Hindus and Mahometans. The roots and leaves are equivalents to liquorice, sweet, mucilaginous, demulcent and expectorant; a good tea of the leaves used for colds and fevers. The seeds, although farinaceous, are hard and tough, yet they are eaten in Egypt. In America, they are considered purgative and deleterious. Perhaps our American is different from the Asiatic kind.
