Abrus diversifoliatus

Description

Family Fabaceae

The Fabaceae are herbs, vines , shrubs , trees , and lianas found in both temperate and tropical areas. They comprise one of the largest families of flowering plants , numbering 630 genera and 18,000 species. The leaves are stipulate , nearly always alternate, and range from bipinnately or palmately compound to simple . The petiole base is commonly enlarged into a pulvinus that commonly functions in orientation of the leaves (sometimes very responsively, as in the sensitive plant, Mimosa pudica). The flowers are usually bisexual , actinomorphic to zygomorphic, slightly to strongly perigynous, and commonly in racemes , spikes, or heads . The perianth commonly consists of a calyx and corolla of 5 segments each. The androecium consists of commonly 1- many stamens (most commonly 10), distinct or variously united , sometimes some of them reduced to staminodes. The pistil is simple, often stipitate , comprising a single style and stigma, and a superior ovary with one locule containing 2-many marginal ovules. The fruit is usually a legume, sometimes a samara, loment, follicle, indehiscent pod, achene, drupe, or berry. The seeds often have a hard coat with hourglass-shaped cells , and sometimes bear a u-shaped line called a pleurogram. [Carr]

Subfamily Faboideae

Mostly herbs, shrubs , or trees . Leaves pinnate or palmate to trifoliolate or apparently simple . Corolla usually, showy, zygomorphic, the petals imbricate, posterior (upper or banner ) petal outermost in bud. Stamens 10 or 9 + 1 (diadelphous ), not showy. Pollen released in monads . Seeds with u-shaped line (pleurogram) lacking. [Carr]

Physical Description

Habit: Herb, Shrub • Climbing: Climbing

Biology

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Reproduction

Duration: Perennial

Taxonomy

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Domain: Eukaryota () - Whittaker & Margulis,1978
- Kingdom: Plantae () - Haeckel, 1866 - Plants
  - Subkingdom: Viridaeplantae () - Cavalier-Smith, 1981
    - Phylum: Magnoliophyta () - Sinnott, 1935 Ex Cavalier-Smith, 1998 - Flowering Plants
      - Subphylum: Euphyllophytina ()
        Infraphylum: Radiatopses () - Kenrick & Crane, 1997
        Class: Magnoliopsida () - Brongniart, 1843 - Dicotyledons
        Subclass: Rosidae () - Takhtajan, 1967
        Superorder: Fabanae () - R. Dahlgren Ex Reveal, 1993
        Order: Fabales () - Bromhead, 1838
        Family: Fabaceae () - Lindley, 1836 - Bean Family
        Subfamily: Faboideae ()
        Tribe: Abreae ()
        Genus: Abrus () - Adanson, 1763
        Specific epithet: diversifoliatus - Breteler
        Botanical name: - Abrus diversifoliatus Breteler

Unambiguous Synonyms

Abrus acutifolius R.Vig.

Notes

Name Status: Accepted Name . Latest taxonomic scrutiny: –.

Similar Species

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Members of the genus Abrus

There are approximately 43 species in this genus:

A. aureus · A. aureus aureus · A. aureus littoralis · A. baladensis · A. bottae · A. canescens · A. cantonensis · A. precatorius subsp. africanus · A. diversifoliatus · A. diversifoliolatus · A. fruticulosus · A. gawenensis · A. gracilis · A. laevigatus · A. longibracteatus · A. lusorius · A. madagascariensis · A. melanospermus subsp. suffruticosus · A. melanospermus subsp. tenuiflorus · A. melanospermus suffruticosus · A. melanospermus tenuiflorus · A. parvifolius · A. precatorius (Black-Eyed Susan) · A. precatorius africanus · A. precatorius precatorius · A. precatorius subsp. africanus · A. pulchellum · A. pulchellus · A. pulchellus cantoniensis · A. pulchellus mollis · A. pulchellus pulchellus · A. pulchellus suffruticosus · A. pulchellus tenuiflorus · A. pulchellus var. tenuiflorus · A. repens · A. sambiranensis · A. schimperi · A. schimperi africanus · A. schimperi oblongus · A. schimperi schimperi · A. somalensis · A. stictospermus · A. wittei

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Notes

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Contributors

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Brands, S.J. (comp.) 1989-2006. Systema Naturae 2000. The Taxonomicon. Universal Taxonomic Services, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Accessed April 21, 2007.
Brands, S.J. (comp.) 1989-2007. Systema Naturae 2000. The Taxonomicon. Universal Taxonomic Services, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Accessed September 17, 2007.
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Identifiers

Biodiversity Heritage Library NamebankID: 3768155
Catalogue of Life Accepted Name Code: ILD-20852
Global Biodiversity Information Facility Taxonkey: 1710772
Zipcode Zoo Species Identifier: 421193