Erythrina caffra

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Erythrina caffra
Erythrina caffra, KZN NBT, a.jpg
Growth habit of a mature tree
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Fabales
Family: Fabaceae
Subfamily: Faboideae
Genus: Erythrina
Species:
E. caffra
Binomial name
Erythrina caffra
Erythrina caffra
Erythrina caffra distribution
  Extant (resident)
Synonyms

Erythrina viarium Tod.

Erythrina caffra, the coast coral tree or African coral tree, is a tree native to southeastern Africa, which is often cultivated and has introduced populations in California and India. [1] [2] All the 17 species of coral tree in the genus Erythrina are collectively considered the official tree of Los Angeles, California in the United States. [3]

Contents

Description

Erythrina caffra tree Erythrina Caffra tree.jpg
Erythrina caffra tree

Erythrina caffra is a medium to large deciduous tree. It grows in coastal bushes and riverine forests along the southeastern coast of South Africa and up into Zululand.

Leaves

Erythrina caffra leaves Erythrina Caffra leaves.jpg
Erythrina caffra leaves

The compound leaves are made up of three leaflets. Each leaflet is broadly ovate to elliptical. The leaflets do not have prickles and are hairless.

Flowers

Eryhtrina caffra flower Eryhtrina Caffra flower.jpg
Eryhtrina caffra flower

The flowers are made up of a main petal and four small petals. The main petal curves back to expose the stamens. The flower colour is warm red to scarlet. This is one of the main differences between Erythrina caffra and Erythrina lysistemon . The flowers form stalked axillary racemes up to 100mm long.

Trunk

Erythrina caffra trunk Erythrina Caffra trunk.jpg
Erythrina caffra trunk

The bark on the plant or tree is relatively smooth with intermittent thorns, and the thorns tend to be sharper on younger branches.

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<i>Erythrina crista-galli</i> Species of legume

Erythrina crista-galli, often known as the cockspur coral tree, is a flowering tree in the family Fabaceae, native to Argentina, Uruguay, southern Brazil and Paraguay. It is widely planted as a street or garden tree in other countries, notably in California. It is known by several common names within South America: ceibo, seíbo (Spanish), corticeira (Portuguese) and the more ambiguous bucaré, to name a few. Its specific epithet crista-galli means "cock's comb" in Latin.

<i>Intsia bijuga</i> Species of tree in the family Fabaceae

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<i>Erythrina variegata</i> Species of legume

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<i>Erythrina vespertilio</i> Species of plant

Erythrina vespertilio is a tree native to north and north-east Australia. Its common names are grey corkwood, bat's wing coral tree, yulbah and the more ambiguous "bean tree". In the Western Desert language it is known as ininti and the in Arrernte and Anmatyerr it is known as atywerety.

<i>Vachellia nilotica</i> Species of flowering plant in the bean family Fabaceae

Vachellia nilotica, more commonly known as Acacia nilotica, and by the vernacular names of gum arabic tree, babul, thorn mimosa, Egyptian acacia or thorny acacia, is a flowering tree in the family Fabaceae. It is native to Africa, the Middle East and the Indian subcontinent. It is also considered a 'weed of national significance' and an invasive species of concern in Australia, as well as a noxious weed by the federal government of the United States.

<i>Erythrina lysistemon</i> Species of legume

Erythrina lysistemon is a species of deciduous tree in the pea family, Fabaceae, that is native to South Africa. Common names include common coral-tree, lucky bean tree, umsintsi (Xhosa), muvhale (Venda), mophete (Tswana), koraalboom of kanniedood (Afrikaans), mokhungwane (Sotho) and umsinsi (Zulu). It is regularly cultivated as a tree for gardens and parks.

<i>Senegalia laeta</i> Species of plant

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<i>Erythrina fusca</i> Species of legume

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Erythrina schliebenii is a species of legume in the family Fabaceae. It is found only in Tanzania. The species is named for German collector and botanist Hans-Joachim Schlieben.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thorns, spines, and prickles</span> Hard, rigid extensions or modifications of leaves, roots, stems or buds with sharp, stiff ends

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<i>Senna didymobotrya</i> Species of legume

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<i>Senegalia caffra</i> Species of legume

Senegalia caffra, also known as hook-thorn or Acacia caffra, is a tree that occurs commonly in southern Africa. Though it is cultivated, it often occurs naturally in Gauteng suburban gardens, together with Acacia karroo and Acacia robusta.

<i>Erythrina latissima</i> Species of legume

The broad-leaved coral tree is a deciduous tree from southern Africa growing 5 to 8 m tall. It is a member of the Fabaceae and occurs naturally in the Afrotemperate mist-belt of South Africa and Eswatini to the uplands of Mozambique, Zimbabwe and adjacent Botswana. It is often cultivated as a tree for gardens and parks. In Zimbabwe its range overlaps with the similar Erythrina abyssinica.

<i>Combretum apiculatum</i> Species of flowering plant

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<i>Erythrina flabelliformis</i> Species of legume

Erythrina flabelliformis, common name chilicote or western coral bean, is a plant species native to central and northwestern Mexico and the southwestern United States. It is known from Baja California as far south as Morelos and as far east as San Luis Potosí, as well as from Arizona and New Mexico.

<i>Intsia palembanica</i> Species of legume

Intsia palembanica is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae. Common names include Borneo teak, Malacca teak, merbau and Moluccan ironwood. It is native to tropical rainforests in Southeast Asia and the islands of the southwest Pacific. Intsia palembanica differs from Intsia bijuga in the number of leaflets that make up the compound leaves.

References

  1. "Erythrina caffra". ILDIS World Database of Legumes, version 10.01.
  2. Advisory Committee on Technology Innovation, Board on Science and Technology for International Development, Commission on International Relations, National Research Council (1979). Tropical Legumes: Resources for the Future. National Academy of Sciences. p. 258.
  3. Advisory Committee on Technology Innovation, Board on Science and Technology for International Development, Commission on International Relations, National Research Council (1979). Tropical Legumes: Resources for the Future. National Academy of Sciences. p. 258.