Abrus

Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture

Abrus (from abros, delicate, referring to leaves). Leguminosae. Deciduous greenhouse climber, or used South outdoors for screens. Roots a poor substitute for licorice, and the seeds are violently poisonous. Needs strong heat for indoor culture. Propagation is by seeds or by cuttings under glass in sand. The genus consists of usually creeping or climbing woody herbs with primately compound lvs.: fls. small, in dense racemes on axillary peduncles or short branches; calyx bell-shaped, the teeth very short; corolla pea-like, much exserted; stamens 9, in a tube. The above text is from the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture. It may be out of date, but still contains valuable and interesting information which can be incorporated into the remainder of the article. Click on "Collapse" in the header to hide this text.