Guilandina bonduc

Guilandina bonduc grows as a scrambling shrub or climber, up to long. The stems are irregularly covered with curved prickles. The leaves are large and bi-pinnate, up to long with scattered prickles on the rachises and blades. There are four to eleven pairs of pinnae, long with five to ten pairs of pinnules. The pinnules are long, elliptic, oblong or ovate with acute tips and entire margins. The inflorescence is an axillary raceme, often branched, covered with short hairs and up to long. The jointed pedicels are up to long. The sepals are shorter than the petals which are around long; the petals are yellow, sometimes with a spot of orange near the base of the keel. The unisexual flowers are followed by large, flattish, spiny green pods which later turn brown, some , containing one or usually two, glossy, rounded, grey seeds. ==Distribution and habitat==

Guilandina bonduc occurs in tropical and subtropical regions of the world, and is present on all continents except Antarctica. It typically grows near the coast, in scrub, on sand dunes and on the upper shore. It also occurs inland, in lowland secondary forest and disturbed areas near villages; this may be the result of the seed being accidentally dropped after being transported for medical purposes or for use as counters in board games. The seeds are buoyant and retain their viability in both fresh and sea water, enabling them to disperse to new coastal locations. When washed up on the shore, they are sometimes known as sea pearls. ==Taxonomy==

This plant was first described by Carl Linnaeus in his book Species plantarum, published in 1753. For a time some authorities accepted the name Caesalpinia bonduc which was proposed by Scottish botanist William Roxburgh in 1824, but that has been synonymised with G. bonduc. ==Common names==

Due to its wide distribution in many countries and cultures, this plant has numerous common names. These include gray nicker, grey nicker, grey nickerbean, yellow nickers, nicker nut, wait-a-while, bonduc and nivi-nivi, along with numerous others. ==Uses==

Nodules on the plant's roots contain symbiotic bacteria that fix nitrogen. This is used as a nutrient by the vine and also benefits other plants growing in close proximity. This plant has been used in traditional medicine. The seeds have tonic and antipyretic properties and the bark and leaves have been used likewise. The root can be pounded to remedy caterpillar stings, it can be boiled and its broth drank to regulate menstruation. An oil extracted from the seeds has been used in cosmetics and for treating discharges from the ear. Tongans make the hard seeds (''talatala 'amoa'') into leis or play with them like marbles; its spiky leaves and stems are used in fruit bat snares. ==References==