Sebastiania pavoniana
(Müll.Arg.) Müll.Arg.
Euphorbiaceae
Gymnanthes pavoniana Müll.Arg.
Gymnanthes pringlei S.Watson ex Pax
Sebastiania palmeri Rose
Sebastiania pringlei S.Watson
Sebastiania ramirezii Maury
Common Name:
'Jumping beans' with trap door - the hole is about 8mm deep. On one the door is separated on the other the door is still on the bean. Both are about 10mm. The two jumping bean moths or Cydia deshaisiana as well as their pupal casings are also present
Photograph by: NobbiP
General Information
Sebastiania pavoniana is a shrub or small tree growing 1.5 - 15 metres tall.
The seedpods are gathered from the wild and are commonly sold as 'Mexican Jumping Beans' in curio shops in southwestern N. America[
411- Title
- Trees and Shrubs of Mexico
- Publication
- Contributions from the United States National Herbarium Vol 23
- Author
- Standley P.C.
- Publisher
- Smithsonian Institution; Washington
- Year
- 1926
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Although dated, it contains a wealth of information on the trees and shrubs of Mexico, including many of their uses. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].
Known Hazards
The milky juice has been used as an arrow poison[
411- Title
- Trees and Shrubs of Mexico
- Publication
- Contributions from the United States National Herbarium Vol 23
- Author
- Standley P.C.
- Publisher
- Smithsonian Institution; Washington
- Year
- 1926
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Although dated, it contains a wealth of information on the trees and shrubs of Mexico, including many of their uses. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].
Botanical References
369- Title
- Flora of Costa Rica
- Publication
-
- Author
- Standley P.C.
- Website
- http://www.archive.org/
- Publisher
- Field Museum of Natural History; Chicago
- Year
- 1938
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Rather dated, but an excellent treatment of the area. Available for download from the internet.
Range
Central America - northwest Costa Rica, Mexico.
Habitat
Seasonally very dry forests at elevations from sea level to about 300 metres[
369- Title
- Flora of Costa Rica
- Publication
-
- Author
- Standley P.C.
- Website
- http://www.archive.org/
- Publisher
- Field Museum of Natural History; Chicago
- Year
- 1938
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Rather dated, but an excellent treatment of the area. Available for download from the internet.
].
Properties
| Other Uses Rating |  |
| Habit | Shrub |
| Height | 2.00 m |
| Cultivation Status | Wild |
Cultivation Details
Not known
Edible Uses
None known
Medicinal
None known
Other Uses
The seedpods furnish the famous 'jumping beans' of Mexico[
411- Title
- Trees and Shrubs of Mexico
- Publication
- Contributions from the United States National Herbarium Vol 23
- Author
- Standley P.C.
- Publisher
- Smithsonian Institution; Washington
- Year
- 1926
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Although dated, it contains a wealth of information on the trees and shrubs of Mexico, including many of their uses. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
]. The movements of an insect larva inside the seedpods cause the pod to move[
411- Title
- Trees and Shrubs of Mexico
- Publication
- Contributions from the United States National Herbarium Vol 23
- Author
- Standley P.C.
- Publisher
- Smithsonian Institution; Washington
- Year
- 1926
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Although dated, it contains a wealth of information on the trees and shrubs of Mexico, including many of their uses. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
]. The pods are often sold as curios.
Propagation
Seed -
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Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014 by
Ken Fern,
web interface by
Ajna Fern
with help from
Richard Morris.
