Erythrina coralloides

Naked Coral Tree
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Rosids
Order: Fabales
Family: Fabaceae
Genus: Erythrina
Species: E. coralloides
Binomial name
Erythrina coralloides
DC.[1]
Erythrina coralloides with a hummingbird

Erythrina coralloides (flame coral tree, naked coral tree) is a species of flowering tree in the pea family, Fabaceae, that is native to eastern Mexico. It ranges from Tamaulipas south to Oaxaca,[1] and some taxonomists believe it is also native to southern Arizona in the United States.[2]

Description

Erythrina coralloides is a tree reaching a height of 5 m. Its seeds are elliptic, smooth, glossy, coral-red, with a salient longitudinal line on the back, and with a white hilum surrounded by a black border.

Uses

Its white wood is used for making bungs and, especially in San Luis Potosí, figurines. The clusters of red and white flowers on the Naked Coral Tree make it an attractive ornamental. The flowers are also used as a food source.

Phytochemistry

The seeds are very poisonous, containing erythroidine, a powerful muscle relaxant; erythroresin, an emetic; coralin; and erythric acid. The extract has been suggested as a substitute for curare. An analysis by Rio de la Loza showed the seeds contain 13.35 solid and liquid fat, 0.32 resin soluble in ether, 13.47 resin soluble in alcohol, 1.61 erythrococalloidine, an alkaloid, 5.60 albumen, 0.83 gum, 1.55 sugar, 0.42 organic acid, 15.87 starch, 7.15 moisture and 39.15 inorganic matter.

References

  1. 1 2 "Taxon: Erythrina coralloides DC.". Germplasm Resources Information Network. United States Department of Agriculture. Retrieved 2013-04-23.
  2. ↑ Burrows, George E.; Ronald J. Tyrl (2012). Toxic Plants of North America (2nd ed.). John Wiley & Sons. p. 544. ISBN 978-0-8138-2034-7.
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