| Scientific name | Unknown or variable (often flat, hard tropical nut seeds) |
| Appearance | Seeds or flat, oval, or round shells, pierced and strung on a ritual cord or chain |
| Smell | Neutral to woody depending on the materials |
| Color | Light brown to black depending on the plant species and use |
| Used parts | Whole seeds strung on a cord (divination element only) |
| Origins | West Africa (Nigeria, Benin, Togo), African American and Afro-Caribbean diaspora |
| Toxicity level | None (non-ingested object, ritual and symbolic use only) |
