Abrus pulchellus

Wall. ex Thwaites

Malay licorice

Fabaceae Edible: Roots, Seeds, Stem, Caution Potential hazards — see below 73 iNaturalist observations

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Description

A shrub or small tree. It grows 5 m tall. There are prickles along the stem. The leaves are twice divided and there are 8-18 pairs of pinnae. There are up to 50 pairs of pinnules on each pinnae. The flowers are yellow. They are in large clusters at the ends of branches. The pods are flattened.

Edible Uses

The roots are used as a liquorice substitute, and the stems are used as a sweetener.

Traditional Uses

The root are used as a substitute for liquorice. The stems are used as a sweetener. Caution: The seeds are poisonous. They contain pulchellin.

This uses section is brief — help expand it

Medicinal Uses

The roots are traditionally used as a substitute for liquorice.

Known Hazards

The seeds are poisonous and contain pulchellin.

Distribution

A tropical plant. It grows in secondary vegetation in West Africa. It prefers damp locations. It is often along rivers. In southern China it grows between 200-3,000 m above sea level.

Where It Grows

Africa, Andamans, Asia, Australia, Bangladesh, Benin, Bhutan, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, China, Guianas, Guinea, Guinée, Guinea-Bissau, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Himalayas, Laos, Liberia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Nigeria, Papua New Guinea, PNG, Philippines, SE Asia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South America, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Thailand, Vietnam, West Africa,

Notes

There are 26 Abrus species.

Nutrition

Part	Moisture	kJ	kcal	Protein	Vit A	Vit C	Iron	Zinc
Root flour	13.5	—	—	0	—	—	1.2	—
Roots	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—

Synonyms

Abrus fruticulosus auct. non Wight & Arn. MisappliedAbrus melanospermus Hassk.and others

Also Known As

Benambo, Bunambo, Bu segseg

References (8)

Bircher, A. G. & Bircher, W. H., 2000, Encyclopedia of Fruit Trees and Edible Flowering Plants in Egypt and the Subtropics. AUC Press. p 3
Burkill, H. M., 1985, The useful plants of west tropical Africa, Vol. 3. Kew.
Codjia, J. T. C., et al, 2003, Diversity and local valorisation of vegetal edible products in Benin. Cahiers Agricultures 12:1-12
Facciola, S., 1998, Cornucopia 2: a Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications, p 101
Flora of China @efloras.org Volume 10

Show all 8 references

Gallagher, D. E., 2010, Farming beyond the escarpment: Society, Environment, and Mobility in Precolonial Southeastern Burkina Faso. PhD University of Michigan
G. H. K. Thwaites & J. D. Hooker, Enum. pl. zeyl. 91. 1859
Usher, G., 1974, A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable. p 10