| Scientific name | Mucuna sloanei Fawc. & Rendle |
|---|---|
| Appearance | Large, hard, rounded, flattened seed, marked around its edge by a characteristic dark hilum reminiscent of the shape of an eye |
| Odor | Very faint to nonexistent when the seed is dry |
| Color | Reddish brown to dark brown, with a black or very dark peripheral band |
| Parts used | Whole, dried seed, mainly used as a ritual, talismanic, or decorative object |
| Origins | Tropical America, from southern Mexico to the Caribbean and South America, as well as tropical West Africa as far as Angola |
| Toxicity level | Moderate. Do not ingest the raw seed, and keep it out of the reach of children and animals. The pods also bear irritating hairs, but these are normally no longer present on commercially sold dried seeds. |
