lucky bean, noun phrase
- Origin:
- See quotation 1966.
1.
a. The scarlet, black-eyed seed of the creeper Abrus precatorius of the Fabaceae. Also attributive.
1966 C.A. Smith Common Names 326Lucky bean, Abrus precatorius...The plants are reported as being toxic to stock...The beans are a brilliant red, with a black ‘eye’ and were used as ornaments and worn in necklaces or armlets as charms for luck, whence the vernacular name.
1991 Dict. of Horticulture (Dept of Nat. Educ.) 337Lucky bean, (Abrus precatorius subsp. africanus).
b. In full lucky bean creeper: the creeping plant which bears these seeds.
1984 J. Onderstall Tvl Lowveld & Escarpment 110Abrus precatorius subsp. africanus. Lucky Bean Creeper. The clustered pods are very striking.., splitting open to display the shiny red-and-black ‘lucky bean’ seeds...The seeds are extremely poisonous.
2.
a. The scarlet, black-eyed seed of any of several species of coral tree (Erythrina spp.), especially E. caffra of the Fabaceae; Kaffrarian pea, see Kaffrarian. Also attributive.
b. In full lucky bean tree: a tree bearing such seeds. See also kaffirboom (offensive).
[1960 W. Plomer in D. Wright S. Afr. Stories 188Frant stood under the bean tree with his feet among the open pods and little black-and-scarlet beans that had fallen from it.]
The scarlet, black-eyed seed of the creeper Abrus precatorius of the Fabaceae. Also attributive.
The scarlet, black-eyed seed of any of several species of coral tree (Erythrina spp.), especially E. caffra of the Fabaceae; Kaffrarian pea, see Kaffrarian. Also attributive.
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