Abrus canescens is a species of flowering plant belonging to the legume family, native to Africa.

The plant's stem is brown and its leaves are a rusty brown to silvery colour with trichomes on the top and bottom.

The leaflets are a narrow oblong shape with all but the last pair having a smooth, round apex and an obtuse to round base.

The fruit consists of between 1 and 6 flat, straight, brown pods measuring 3.20 - 6.00 cm in length and 0.40 - 1.40 cm in breadth.

The seeds are smooth, flat and black in colour.