Abrus
9.9
A tropical plant with bright red seeds that are very poisonous and often used in jewelry
- proper noun
- Specialized
:
Abrus
- In the garden, we found a plant called Abrus, which is famous for its highly poisonous seeds.
- Abrus precatorius
- Abrus seeds
Examples
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Around his neck, he often wears strings of indigenous black and red jumbie beads (Abrus precatorius).
Academic text (1999) -
Most of these masks are decorated with a cross-like design consisting of a wax stripe in which red Abrus precatorius seeds are set.
Academic text (2008) -
The jewelry was made from beautifully polished Abrus seeds that are known for their vibrant colors.
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Children were warned not to play with the bright red seeds of the Abrus plant, as they are extremely toxic.
Surface Forms
Abrus main
Etymology
Abrus is the scientific name for a tropical plant best known as the rosary pea, and the name goes back to old plant names for these bright seeds. A helpful way to remember Abrus is to picture its shiny red 'beads' used in jewelry and prayer strings — beautiful but very poisonous.
