abrus precatorius

Webster's Dictionary (GCIDE)

Jequirity \Je*quir"i*ty\, n., or Jequirity bean \Je*quir"i*ty bean`\ [Prob. fr. a native name.] (Bot.) The seed of the wild licorice (Abrus precatorius) used by the people of India for beads in rosaries and necklaces, as a standard weight, etc.; -- called also jumble bead. [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

Licorice \Lic"o*rice\ (l[i^]k"[-o]*r[i^]s), n. [OE. licoris, through old French, fr. L. liquiritia, corrupted fr. glycyrrhiza, Gr. glyky`rriza; glyky`s sweet + "ri`za root. Cf. Glycerin, Glycyrrhiza, Wort.] [Written also liquorice.]

1.(Bot.) A plant of the genus Glycyrrhiza (Glycyrrhiza glabra), the root of which abounds with a sweet juice, and is much used in demulcent compositions. [1913 Webster]

2.The inspissated juice of licorice root, used as a confection and for medicinal purposes. [1913 Webster]

Licorice fern (Bot.), a name of several kinds of polypody which have rootstocks of a sweetish flavor.

Licorice sugar. (Chem.) See Glycyrrhizin.

Licorice weed (Bot.), the tropical plant Scapania dulcis.

Mountain licorice (Bot.), a kind of clover (Trifolium alpinum), found in the Alps. It has large purplish flowers and a sweetish perennial rootstock.

Wild licorice. (Bot.) (a) The North American perennial herb Glycyrrhiza lepidota. (b) Certain broad-leaved cleavers (Galium circ[ae]zans and Galium lanceolatum). (c) The leguminous climber Abrus precatorius, whose scarlet and black seeds are called black-eyed Susans. Its roots are used as a substitute for those of true licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra). [1913 Webster]

Vetch \Vetch\ (v[e^]ch), n. [Also fitch; OE. ficche, feche, for veche, OF. veche, vecce, vesche, vesce, F. vesce, fr. L. vicia.] (Bot.) Any leguminous plant of the genus Vicia, some species of which are valuable for fodder. The common species is Vicia sativa. [1913 Webster]

Note: The name is also applied to many other leguminous plants of different genera; as the chichling vetch, of the genus Lathyrus; the horse vetch, of the genus Hippocrepis; the kidney vetch (Anthyllis vulneraria); the milk vetch, of the genus Astragalus; the licorice vetch, or wild licorice (Abrus precatorius). [1913 Webster]