Erythrina lysistemon

Life-forms

Classification System: APG IV

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Regnum: Plantae
Cladus: Angiosperms
Cladus: Eudicots
Cladus: Core eudicots
Cladus: Rosids
Cladus: Eurosids I
Ordo: Fabales

Familia: Fabaceae
Subfamilia: Faboideae
Tribus: Phaseoleae
Subtribus: Erythrininae
Genus: Erythrina
Subgenus: E. subg. Erythrina
Sectio: E. sect. Caffrae
Species: Erythrina lysistemon
Name

Erythrina lysistemon Hutch., Bull. Misc. Inform. Kew 1933(9): 422–423. 1933.

Synonyms

Heterotypic
Erythrina caffra var. mossambicensis Baker f., J. Bot. 76: 238. 1938.

References

Barneby, R.C. & Krukoff, B.A. 1974. Conspectus of species of the genus Erythrina. Lloydia 37(3): 332–459. Reference page.
Hutchinson, J. 1933. Bulletin of Miscellaneous Information, Royal Gardens, Kew 1933(9): 422.
USDA, ARS, Germplasm Resources Information Network. Erythrina lysistemon in the Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN), U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service. Accessed: 07-Oct-06.

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.
Description
Common coral tree reaches 30 to 40 ft (9.1 to 12.2 m) in height, with smooth grayish bark, not corky; hooked prickles scattered on trunk and branches; leaves with 3 leaflets, up to 7 in (18 cm) long, petiole and midrib prickly. The tree is leafless for up to 4 or 5 months of the year. The lovely scarlet red flowers are borne in dense racemes in spring before leaves and attract numerous birds and insects to the garden. It is hardy to USDA Zone 9b.