Erythrina Caffra

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. 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.

Erythrina caffra
Growth habit of a mature tree
Scientific classification
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 Thunb.
Erythrina caffra distribution   Extant (resident)
Synonyms
Erythrina viarium Tod.

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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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  Close-up view, showing leaf arrangement, shape and size
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  View of trunk showing prickles
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  Inflorescence
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  Trypsin inhibitor isolated from the seeds of Erythrina caffra