Erythrina

Scientific name

Erythrina L.

Common names

Brazilian coral tree, cock's comb coral tree, cockspur, cockspur coral tree, common coral tree, coral tree, cry baby tree, fireman's cap tree

Family

Fabaceae

Similar genera

Pachira

Native distribution

South America: southern Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Paraguay, Uruguay and northern Argentina

Species cultivated

Erythrina crista-galli L.

Adventive distribution

southeastern United States and Australia

Weed status

weedy in some countries

Habit

amphibious, medium to large tree

Brief description

Stems and trunk sparsely covered with spines. Leaves alternatealternate:
(adj) (of leaves) bearing one leaf per node; placed singly on the stem at different heights
; stipules deciduousdeciduous:
(adj) shedding of parts at the end of their growing period, as with leaves; those trees or shrubs that drop their leaves at the end of the season
; petioles and rachisrachis:
(n) the main axis of, e.g., a compound leaf or an inflorescence
often bearing prickles; compoundcompound:
(adj) with two or more like parts, as in a compound leaf; divided into two or more subsidiary parts or orders, as in a compound inflorescence
, with 3 ovateovate:
(adj) egg-shaped in outline; generally with the broad end at or near the base
or ellipticelliptic:
(adj) in the form of an ellipse (oval)
leaflets; base cuneatecuneate:
(adj) wedge-shaped; triangular, with narrow end at the base
to round; apexapex:
(n) the point farthest from the point of attachment; the tip (often pointed)
typically acuteacute:
(adj) tapering to a sharp, pointed apex with more or less straight sides; broader than acuminate; forming an angle of less than 90 degrees
; marginmargin:
(n) edge; rim
entireentire:
(adj) having a continuous margin that is not toothed or lobed
, glabrousglabrous:
(adj) without hairs or scales
. Inflorescenceinflorescence:
(n) the arrangement of flowers on the floral axis
an axillaryaxillary:
(adj) in, of, or produced from an axil
and terminalterminal:
(adj) at the apex
racemeraceme:
(n) an indeterminate, unbranched inflorescence having pedicelled flowers on a usually elongated axis (may be cymose)
; bracteoles present; pedicelspedicels:
(n) the stalk of a single flower in an inflorescence, or of a grass spikelet
pubescent, becoming glabrousglabrous:
(adj) without hairs or scales
at anthesisanthesis:
(n) the period from flower opening to fruit set
. Flowers zygomorphiczygomorphic:
(adj) bilaterally symmetrical; symmetrical along only one plane
, red; calyxcalyx:
(n) the outer whorl of the perianth; all the sepals of a flower
tube 2-lipped, marginmargin:
(n) edge; rim
entireentire:
(adj) having a continuous margin that is not toothed or lobed
or bilobed, upper lip often with spurspur:
(n) a usually slender, hollow projection formed by the fused bases of the lower petals in some flowers notably of the genus <em>Utricularia</em>; a sac-like projection or extension of a petal or sepal; a short, fruit-bearing stalk
; banner broadly ellipticelliptic:
(adj) in the form of an ellipse (oval)
to orbicularorbicular:
(adj) circular in outline
, recurvedrecurved:
(adj) curved downward or backward
, apexapex:
(n) the point farthest from the point of attachment; the tip (often pointed)
rounded or with a slight notch, base cuneatecuneate:
(adj) wedge-shaped; triangular, with narrow end at the base
; wings inconspicuous, oblongoblong:
(adj) two to four times longer than wide, with +/- parallel sides
to ovateovate:
(adj) egg-shaped in outline; generally with the broad end at or near the base
; keelkeel:
(n) a sharp crease or ridge
falcatefalcate:
(adj) shaped like a scythe or sickle
. Fruit stipitatestipitate:
(adj) borne on a stipe or stalk
, a long legume, shallowly constricted between seeds, becoming woody at maturity, brown; seeds large, reniformreniform:
(adj) kidney-shaped
, hard, brown to black, mottled.

Natural habitat

along waterways and flood areas, in swamps and wetlands

Additional comments

Erythrina are terrestrialterrestrial:
(adj) growing on land as opposed to living in water
shrubs and trees. Of about 130 species, only Erythrina crista-galli is commonly found in the riparianriparian:
(adj) growing by rivers or streams; of, adjacent to, or living on, the banks of a river, lake, pond, etc.
zone along waterways.