The Tamils use Abrus seeds of different colors.

They resemble the seeds of Abrus, snoutbeans (Rhynchosia) and Adenanthera, but are much larger than the former two.

Abrus precatorius (rosary pea).

Abrus diversifoliatus (Madagascar)

This mythology has made the Gunjā (Abrus precatorius) seeds - the bright red seed of a fig tree - also a favourite for native jewellery.

The new species included Abrus, Abelmoschus, Lablab, and Melochia, each of which are native to tropical areas and were cultivated with artificial irrigation in Egypt at the time.

Various Abrus species such as A. melanospermus, A. precatorius and A. pulchellus, all of which form part of the traditional medicine of the Malay peninsula and Indonesia, also contain glycyrrhizic acid.