Abrus precatorius

Common Name: rosary pea

Family: Fabaceae

Common Synonyms: Abrus abrus

USDA Hardiness Zone: 11

Growth Habit: Vine

Origin: India

FISC Category: 1

FDACS Listed Noxious Weed: Yes

Introduction Date: pre-1932

IFAS Assessment:

• North: PROHIBITED
• Central: PROHIBITED
• South: PROHIBITED

Description

High-climbing, perennial, woody vine with slender herbaceous branches. Alternate, stalked leaves, 5-13 cm long, even-pinnately compound with 5-15 pairs of oblong leaflets, to 1.8 cm long with entire margins. Small pea-shaped flowers, white, pink or reddish, in clusters at leaf axils. Flowers in summer. Fruit a short, oblong pod, with 3-8 shiny hard seeds, 6-7 mm long, red with black bases. Seeds extremely poisonous to livestock and humans.

Habitat

Able to colonize a wide variety of habitats - xeric hammock, coastal uplands, flatwoods, hydric hammock, disturbed sites

Comments

Established in central and south Florida. Difficult to eradicate and increases following fire. Seeds dispersed by birds.

Control Methods

• Manual: Manual: Hand removal effective on small scale
• Chemical: Basal bark (10% triclopyr ester) for larger stems, or foliar (5% glyphosate). [IFAS]
• Biological: NA

Control Notes

Note: Remove seed pods if possible. Site must be revisited several times to pull seedlings. Fall applications most effective.

References

IFAS, Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plants. 2013. Rosary Pea. http://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/node/23#more. Accessed on December 2, 2013.

Langeland, K.A., J.A. Ferrell, B. Sellers, G.E. MacDonald, and R.K. Stocker. 2011. Integrated management of non-native plants in natural areas of Florida. EDIS publication SP 242. University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida.

Langeland, K.A., H.M. Cherry, C.M. McCormick, K.C. Burks. 2008. Identification and Biology of Non-Native Plants in Florida's Natural Areas-Second Edition. IFAS Publication SP 257. University of Florida, Gainesville.