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Rosary pea Facts

Rosary pea Facts
Rosary pea is woody vine that belongs to the legume family. It originates from India, Indonesia and Africa, but it can be found in tropical and subtropical regions around the world today. Rosary pea usually grows on the pastures, abandoned farms, along the roadsides and in the wastelands. It can be also seen in many gardens, where it is cultivated in ornamental purposes. Due to ability to easily escape from cultivation and successfully invade nearby areas, rosary pea is classified as invasive weed in many countries outside its native range.
Interesting Rosary pea Facts:
Rosary pea has twining or trailing stem with slender herbaceous branches. Stem can reach 10 feet in length.
Rosary pea grows over the shrubs and small trees and negatively affects growth of the host plants.
Rosary pea has compound leaves made of 5 to 20 pairs of oblong leaflets (terminal leaflet is absent). Leaves are green colored and alternately arranged on the stem.
Rosary pea produces small pink, purple or white flowers arranged in large clusters that grow from the axils of leaves. Flowers contain both types of reproductive organs (perfect flowers).
Rosary pea blooms from May to September. Flowers attract bees and ants, which are responsible for the pollination of this plant.
Fruit of rosary pea is narrow pod filled with 3 to 5 seed that are round-shaped, shiny red colored and have prominent black spot on one end.
Rosary pea is also known as "crab's eye" due to round shape and unusual coloration of its seed.
Rosary pea is valuable source of food for birds which play important role in dispersal of seed in the wild.
Seed of rosary pea contains abrin, strong toxin that is similar to ricin, found in the castor bean. Consumption of just one seed can be fatal for humans. Whole seed can be eliminated from the body without harmful effects if the hard skin on the surface of the seed remains intact. Chewing of seed results in release of toxin and it inevitably leads to (usually) fatal poisoning.
Abrin from rosary pea is often used in medical studies due to potential to kill cancer cells.
Consumption of green parts of rosary pea is not recommended because this plant often absorbs and accumulates pesticides and pollutants from the soil, water and air.
Seeds of rosary pea are used for the manufacture of jewelry and percussion instruments.
Seeds of rosary pea are uniform in size and they were frequently used as standards in weight measurement in the past (especially for measuring the weight of gold).
Root of rosary pea can be used in treatment of abdominal discomfort and to induce abortion. Tea made of leaves is often used in treatment of cough, fever and cold.
Rosary pea is perennial plant (life span: more than 2 years).


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