Calabar bean


noun

the violently poisonous seed of an African climbing plant, Physostigma venenosum, of the legume family, the active principle of which is physostigmine.
Also called ordeal bean.

Origin of Calabar bean

1875–80; named after Calabar, Nigeria

British Dictionary definitions for calabar bean

Calabar bean
/ (ˌkæləˈbɑː, ˈkæləˌbɑː) /

noun

the dark brown very poisonous seed of a leguminous woody climbing plant, Physostigma venenosum of tropical Africa, used as a source of the drug physostigmine