mescal bean

noun

an evergreen shrub or small tree, Sophora secundiflora, of the legume family, of the southwestern U.S. and northern Mexico, having clusters of fragrant, violet-blue flowers and pods containing highly poisonous, bright red seeds.

Origin of mescal bean

An Americanism dating back to 1855–60

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018