相思子族 xiang si zi zu
Bao Bojian[1]; Michael G. Gilbert[2]
Lianas. Leaves paripinnate; with a short point at the apex of rachis; stipules linear-lanceolate; leaflets many paired, entire. Racemes axillary or leaf-opposed; bracts and bracteoles small. Flowers small, fascicled at nodes; calyx campanulate, subtruncate or with short teeth. Corolla obviously larger than calyx, pink, purple or purple-red; standard ovate, shortly clawed, somewhat fused with staminal tube at base; wings narrow; keels broad. Stamens 9, united in an adaxially split sheath; anthers uniform. Ovary subsessile; style short; stigma capitate, glabrous. Pod oblong, flat, dehiscent; seeds 2 to many, elliptic or spherical, glossy, dark brown or red and black.
One genus and 17 species: 16 in Africa, Madagascar, and Asia, one pantropical; two species in China.
相思子属 xiang si zi shu
Morphological characters are the same as those of the family.
About 17 species: five in Madagascar, seven in Africa, one in Africa and Asia, one in the Middle East, two in tropical Asia, and one pantropical; two species in China.
1a. Seeds conspicuously glossy black and red, subglobose; pod 23.5 cm, apex emarginate below style 1. A. precatorius
1b. Seeds uniformly dark brown to almost black, compressed; pod (3)56.5 cm, apex slightly acuminate 2. A. pulchellus
相思子 xiang si zi
Glycine abrus Linnaeus, Sp. Pl. 2: 753. 1753.
Lianas; stem slender, much branched, sparsely white strigose. Leaves paripinnate; leaflets 813 paired, membranous, opposite, suboblong, 12 Χ 0.40.8 cm, truncate and with mucro at apex, rotund at the base, glabrous adaxial, sparsely white strigose abaxial; petiolule short. Racemes axillary, 38 cm. Flowers small, dense; calyx campanulate, 4 lobed toothed, white strigose. Corolla purple; flag with triangular claw; wings and keels narrower. Stamens 9. Ovary hairy. Pods oblong, leathery, 23.5 Χ 0.51.5 cm, dehiscent, with 26 seeds. Seeds elliptic, lustrous, red at upper part, black at lower part. Fl. MarJun, fr. SepOct.
Hill forests. Guangdong, Guangxi, Taiwan, Yunnan [widespread in tropics].
The hard and very colorful seeds are often used in necklaces. They are dangerously toxic if ingested when the seed coat is not intact, eg if drilled for a necklace.
美丽相思子 mei li xiang si zi
Climbing lianas. stem slender, sparsely yellow strigose. Leaves paripinnate, alternate; leaflets 610 paired, membranous, opposite, suboblong, 0.73 Χ 0.41 cm, truncate and with mucro at apex, rotund at the base, glabrous adaxial, sparsely white strigose abaxial; petiolule short. Racemes axillary, 310 cm. Flowers small, dense, 68 mm; calyx campanulate, 4 lobed toothed, white strigose. Corolla pink or purple. Stamens 9. Pods oblong, densely white hairy, 56.5 Χ 0.81.5 cm, dehiscent, with 612 seeds. Seeds elliptic, black-brown, lustrous.
Valley forests; 4003000 m. Guangxi, Yunnan [Bangladesh, Bhutan,Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam; Papua New Guinea].
1a. Indumentum
usually at least partly ferruginous, mostly erect, but often gray on leaves or
if indumentum gray then leaflets ca. 3 cm and pod 3.54.9 cm
....................................................................................................................... 2b.
subsp. mollis
1b. Indumentum sparse and grayish, not ferruginous, adpressed (rarely petioles appear to be brown but hairs always pale.
2a..... Leaflets 24 cm, base rounded; pod 3.29 cm .................................. 2a. subsp. pulchellus
2b.... Leaflets mostly ca. 1 cm, base
distinctly subcordate; pod 23.3 cm
..................................................................................................... 2c.
subsp. cantoniensis
美丽相思子(原亚种) mei li xiang si zi (yuan ya zhong)
Climbing lianas. stem slender, sparsely yellow strigose. Leaves paripinnate, alternate; leaflets 610 paired, membranous, opposite, suboblong, 0.73 Χ 0.41 cm, truncate and with mucro at apex, rotund at the base, glabrous adaxial, sparsely white strigose abaxial; petiolule short. Racemes axillary, 310 cm. Flowers small, dense, 68 mm; calyx campanulate, 4 lobed toothed, white strigose. Corolla pink or purple. Stamens 9. Pods oblong, densely white hairy, 56.5 Χ 0.81.5 cm, dehiscent, with 612 seeds. Seeds elliptic, black-brown, lustrous.
Valley forests; 4003000 m. Guangxi, Yunnan [Bangladesh, Bhutan,Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam; Papua New Guinea].
毛相思子 mao xiang si zi
Abrus mollis Hance, J. Bot. 9: 130. 1871
Lianas. stem sparsely yellow villous. Leaves paripinnate; stipule subulate; leaflets 610 paired, membranous, oblong, 12.5 Χ 0.51 cm, truncate and with mucro at apex, rotund at the base, pilose adaxial, densely white villous abaxial. Racemes axillary; rachis 24 cm, yellow villous. Flowers 39 mm, 46 fascicled at nodes; calyx campanulate, densely gray villous. Corolla pink or light purple. Stamens 9. Pods oblong, flat, 35(6) Χ 0.81 cm, densely white villous, beaked at apex, with 49 seeds. Seeds ovoid, flat, black or dark-brown, slightly lustrous. Fl. Aug, fr. Sep.
* Forests at roadsides or in valleys; 2001700 m. Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan [Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam].
广州相思子 guang zhou xiang si zi
Abrus cantoniensis Hance, J. Bot. 6: 112. 1868.
Climbing lianas, 12 m high; branches slender, smooth, white hairy, caducous when old. Leaves paripinnate, alternate; leaflets 611 paired, membranous, oblong or obovate-oblong, 0.51.5 Χ 0.30.5 cm, truncate or slightly retuse, with mucro at apex, pilose adaxial, strigose abaxial, petiolule short. Racemes axillary. Flowers small, ca. 6 mm, fascicled at shortly rachis; pedicel short. Corolla purple-red or light purple. Stamens 9. Pods oblong, flat, ca. 3 Χ 1.3 cm, beaked at apex, sparsely white strigose, with 45 seeds. Seeds black-brown. Fl. Aug.
Forests, hill slopes; ca. 200 m. Guangdong, Guangxi, Hunan [Thailand, Vietnam].