legume
A legume () is a plant in the family Fabaceae (or Leguminosae), or the fruit or seed of such a plant. When used as a dry grain, the seed is also called a pulse. Legumes are grown agriculturally, primarily for human consumption, for livestock f ...
). The more than 100 living species, mostly trees or large
shrub
A shrub (often also called a bush) is a small-to-medium-sized perennial woody plant. Unlike herbaceous plants, shrubs have persistent woody stems above the ground. Shrubs can be either deciduous or evergreen. They are distinguished from trees ...
s, are distributed throughout the tropical regions of the world, some extending into temperate zones, especially in East Asia. A few species are threatened by habitat destruction, while the
Hainan ormosia
''Ormosia howii'', the Hainan ormosia, is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae native to southern China. It was initially found on Diaoluo Shan, Hainan Island in 1954 and then in Yangchun, Guangdong
Guangdong (, ), altern ...
(''Ormosia howii'') is probably
extinct
Extinction is the termination of a kind of organism or of a group of kinds (taxon), usually a species. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species, although the capacity to breed and ...
already.
Plants in this genus are commonly known as horse-eye beans or simply ormosias, and in Spanish by the somewhat ambiguous term ''"chocho"''. The
scientific name
In taxonomy, binomial nomenclature ("two-term naming system"), also called nomenclature ("two-name naming system") or binary nomenclature, is a formal system of naming species of living things by giving each a name composed of two parts, bot ...
''Ormosia'' is a ''
nomen conservandum
Nomen may refer to:
*Nomen (Roman name), the middle part of Ancient Roman names
* Nomen (Ancient Egypt), the personal name of Ancient Egyptian pharaohs
*Jaume Nomen (born 1960), Catalan astronomer
*Nomen, Latin for a certain part of speech
*Nomen, ...
'', overruling ''Toulichiba'' which is formally rejected under the ''
International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants
The ''International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants'' (ICN) is the set of rules and recommendations dealing with the formal botanical names that are given to plants, fungi and a few other groups of organisms, all those "trad ...
poison
Poison is a chemical substance that has a detrimental effect to life. The term is used in a wide range of scientific fields and industries, where it is often specifically defined. It may also be applied colloquially or figuratively, with a broa ...
ous if eaten, but often look pretty, with bright colors and decorative patterns reminiscent of an
eye
Eyes are organs of the visual system. They provide living organisms with vision, the ability to receive and process visual detail, as well as enabling several photo response functions that are independent of vision. Eyes detect light and conv ...
; the common name "horse-eye beans" refers to these seeds. They resemble the seeds of ''
Abrus
''Abrus'' is a genus of flowering plants in the pea family, Fabaceae and the only genus in the tribe Abreae. It contains 13–18 species, but is best known for a single species: jequirity ('' A. precatorius''). The highly toxic seeds of that ...
'',
snoutbean
''Rhynchosia'', also known as snoutbean, is a genus of plants in the family Fabaceae. There are several different complexes within the genus, including the ''Senna'' complex.Turner,B.L., http://www.biosci.utexas.edu/prc/pdfs/Turner-Lundellia14 ...
s (''Rhynchosia''), and ''
Adenanthera
''Adenanthera'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Fabaceae.
It contains the following species:
* ''Adenanthera bicolor'' Merr. (Sri Lanka)
* ''Adenanthera intermedia'' Merr. (Philippines)
* ''Adenanthera pavonina'' L. - Coralwood (In ...
'', but are much larger than the former two. In particular those of ''
Ormosia coccinea
''Ormosia coccinea'' is a plant that grows throughout the South Eastern North American countries, and all throughout South America. It produces beautiful red seeds with one black spot covering one-third of its surface. These seeds are used for ...
'' are often used for jewelry and other decorative purposes, or as good luck charms. The seeds float and are occasionally found as " sea beans".
Otherwise, ''Ormosia'' wood is used as timber or
firewood
Firewood is any wooden material that is gathered and used for fuel. Generally, firewood is not highly processed and is in some sort of recognizable log or branch form, compared to other forms of wood fuel like pellets or chips. Firewood can ...
fossils
A fossil (from Classical Latin , ) is any preserved remains, impression, or trace of any once-living thing from a past geological age. Examples include bones, shells, exoskeletons, stone imprints of animals or microbes, objects preserved in ...
of one ''Ormosia'' species from the middle Eocene epoch have been examined from Warman clay pit in Weakley County, while 52 fossil leaflets of two ''Ormosia'' species have been described from Warman, New Lawrence and Lamkin clay pits in Weakley and Henry Counties, Tennessee, United States.
Species
''Ormosia'' comprises the following species:
* '' Ormosia altimontana'' Meireles & H.C. Lima
* ''
Ormosia amazonica
''Ormosia amazonica'' is a species of tree in the family Fabaceae native to the Amazon rainforest. It is naturally distributed in Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador and Peru
, image_flag = Flag of Peru.svg
, image_c ...
Ormosia chevalieri
''Ormosia'' is a genus of legumes ( family Fabaceae). The more than 100 living species, mostly trees or large shrubs, are distributed throughout the tropical regions of the world, some extending into temperate zones, especially in East Asi ...
Ormosia coccinea
''Ormosia coccinea'' is a plant that grows throughout the South Eastern North American countries, and all throughout South America. It produces beautiful red seeds with one black spot covering one-third of its surface. These seeds are used for ...
Ormosia excelsa
''Ormosia excelsa'' is a plant species in the genus ''Ormosia'', a tropical legume.
''Ormosia excelsa'' produces the O-methylated isoflavone 5-O-methylgenistein
5-''O''-Methylgenistein is an O-methylated isoflavone. It can be found in '' Orm ...
'' Benth.
* ''
Ormosia fastigiata
''Ormosia'' is a genus of legumes (family Fabaceae). The more than 100 living species, mostly trees or large shrubs, are distributed throughout the tropical regions of the world, some extending into temperate zones, especially in East Asia. A fe ...
Ormosia fordiana
''Ormosia'' is a genus of legumes ( family Fabaceae). The more than 100 living species, mostly trees or large shrubs, are distributed throughout the tropical regions of the world, some extending into temperate zones, especially in East Asi ...
Ormosia friburgensis
''Ormosia'' is a genus of legumes (family Fabaceae). The more than 100 living species, mostly trees or large shrubs, are distributed throughout the tropical regions of the world, some extending into temperate zones, especially in East Asia. A ...
Ormosia glaberrima
''Ormosia'' is a genus of legumes ( family Fabaceae). The more than 100 living species, mostly trees or large shrubs, are distributed throughout the tropical regions of the world, some extending into temperate zones, especially in East Asi ...
Ormosia gracilis
''Ormosia gracilis'' is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae
The Fabaceae or Leguminosae,Ormosia grandiflora'' (Tul.) Rudd
* ''
Ormosia grandistipulata
''Ormosia grandistipulata'' is a species of tree or shrub in the family Fabaceae. It is endemic to Peninsular Malaysia. It is threatened by habitat loss
Habitat destruction (also termed habitat loss and habitat reduction) is the process by ...
Ormosia howii
''Ormosia howii'', the Hainan ormosia, is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae native to southern China. It was initially found on Diaoluo Shan, Hainan Island in 1954 and then in Yangchun, Guangdong in 1957, both times in extrem ...
'' L. Chen—
Hainan ormosia
''Ormosia howii'', the Hainan ormosia, is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae native to southern China. It was initially found on Diaoluo Shan, Hainan Island in 1954 and then in Yangchun, Guangdong
Guangdong (, ), altern ...
(probably
extinct
Extinction is the termination of a kind of organism or of a group of kinds (taxon), usually a species. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species, although the capacity to breed and ...
Ormosia inflata
''Ormosia'' is a genus of legumes ( family Fabaceae). The more than 100 living species, mostly trees or large shrubs, are distributed throughout the tropical regions of the world, some extending into temperate zones, especially in East Asi ...
Ormosia isthmensis
''Ormosia'' is a genus of legumes ( family Fabaceae). The more than 100 living species, mostly trees or large shrubs, are distributed throughout the tropical regions of the world, some extending into temperate zones, especially in East Asi ...
Ormosia lewisii
''Ormosia'' is a genus of legumes ( family Fabaceae). The more than 100 living species, mostly trees or large shrubs, are distributed throughout the tropical regions of the world, some extending into temperate zones, especially in East Asi ...
Ormosia minor
''Ormosia'' is a genus of legumes (family Fabaceae). The more than 100 living species, mostly trees or large shrubs, are distributed throughout the tropical regions of the world, some extending into temperate zones, especially in East Asia. A ...
Ormosia nitida
''Ormosia'' is a genus of legumes ( family Fabaceae). The more than 100 living species, mostly trees or large shrubs, are distributed throughout the tropical regions of the world, some extending into temperate zones, especially in East Asi ...
Ormosia ormondii
''Ormosia ormondii'', commonly known as yellow bean, is a medium-sized tree up to in height in the pea and bean family Fabaceae. The leaves are compound with up to 9 leaflets. Masses of pink flowers are produced on axillary panicles from O ...
Ormosia panamensis
''Ormosia panamensis'', commonly known as ''coronil'' or ''sur espino'', is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae.
It is found in Costa Rica, Guatemala
Guatemala ( ; ), officially the Republic of Guatemala ( es, Repúblic ...
Ormosia paraensis
''Ormosia'' is a genus of legumes (family Fabaceae). The more than 100 living species, mostly trees or large shrubs, are distributed throughout the tropical regions of the world, some extending into temperate zones, especially in East Asia. A fe ...
'' Ducke
* ''
Ormosia penangensis
''Ormosia'' is a genus of legumes ( family Fabaceae). The more than 100 living species, mostly trees or large shrubs, are distributed throughout the tropical regions of the world, some extending into temperate zones, especially in East Asi ...
'' Ridl.
* ''
Ormosia peruviana
''Ormosia'' is a genus of legumes ( family Fabaceae). The more than 100 living species, mostly trees or large shrubs, are distributed throughout the tropical regions of the world, some extending into temperate zones, especially in East Asi ...
Ormosia pinnata
''Ormosia'' is a genus of legumes ( family Fabaceae). The more than 100 living species, mostly trees or large shrubs, are distributed throughout the tropical regions of the world, some extending into temperate zones, especially in East Asi ...
Ormosia revoluta
''Ormosia'' is a genus of legumes ( family Fabaceae). The more than 100 living species, mostly trees or large shrubs, are distributed throughout the tropical regions of the world, some extending into temperate zones, especially in East Asi ...
Ormosia scandens
''Ormosia'' is a genus of legumes ( family Fabaceae). The more than 100 living species, mostly trees or large shrubs, are distributed throughout the tropical regions of the world, some extending into temperate zones, especially in East Asi ...
'' Prain
* ''
Ormosia schippii
''Ormosia'' is a genus of legumes ( family Fabaceae). The more than 100 living species, mostly trees or large shrubs, are distributed throughout the tropical regions of the world, some extending into temperate zones, especially in East Asi ...
Ormosia semicastrata
''Ormosia'' is a genus of legumes ( family Fabaceae). The more than 100 living species, mostly trees or large shrubs, are distributed throughout the tropical regions of the world, some extending into temperate zones, especially in East Asi ...
Ormosia travancorica
''Ormosia travancorica'' is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae.
It is endemic to the Western Ghats of Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. It is reasonably common in the South Sahyadri and rare in the Coorg
Kodagu (al ...
Ormosia velutina
''Ormosia'' is a genus of legumes ( family Fabaceae). The more than 100 living species, mostly trees or large shrubs, are distributed throughout the tropical regions of the world, some extending into temperate zones, especially in East Asi ...
Ormosia venosa
''Ormosia'' is a genus of legumes (family Fabaceae). The more than 100 living species, mostly trees or large shrubs, are distributed throughout the tropical regions of the world, some extending into temperate zones, especially in East Asia. A fe ...
Ormosia xylocarpa
''Ormosia'' is a genus of legumes ( family Fabaceae). The more than 100 living species, mostly trees or large shrubs, are distributed throughout the tropical regions of the world, some extending into temperate zones, especially in East Asi ...