Erythrina lysistemon Hutch.

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Photo: Bart Wursten
Road to Nhancuco, lower slopes Mt Gorongosa

Photo: Bart Wursten
Morumbodze Falls, lower slopes Mt Gorongosa.

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Synonyms:	Erythrina caffra auct.
Common names:	Common coral-tree (English) Lucky-bean tree (English) Sacred coral-tree (English)
Frequency:
Status:	Native
Description:	Small to medium sized deciduous tree, which flowers before the new leaves arrive. Leaves 3-foliolate; leaflets ovate to heart-shaped with a distinctly tapering apex. Inflorescences usually held horizontal, bright scarlet. Fruit a slender pod, which is deeply constricted between the seeds. The seeds are bright orange-red with a black spot.
Notes:
Derivation of specific name:	lysistemon: "with a loose stamen"
Habitat:	Mainly on the fringes of woodland and in rocky submontane grassland at higher altitudes.
Altitude range:	500 - 1900 m
Flowering time:	Jul - Oct
Worldwide distribution:	Botswana, Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Eswatini, South Africa
Mozambique distribution:	N,Z,MS,M
Growth form(s):	Tree.
Endemic status:
Red data list status:
Insects associated with this species:	Elisabethiella comptoni (Food plant)
Spot characters:	Display spot characters for this species
Content last updated:	Tuesday 17 August 2021
Literature:	Burrows, J.E., Burrows, S.M., Lötter, M.C. & Schmidt, E. (2018). Trees and Shrubs Mozambique Publishing Print Matters (Pty), Cape Town. Page 306. (Includes a picture). Chapano, C. & Mamuto, M. (2003). Plants of the Chimanimani District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 25. *Coates Palgrave, K. et al.* (1956).** Trees of Central Africa National Publications Trust, Salisbury. Pages 321 - 323. as Erythrina caffra (Includes a picture). Drummond, R.B. (1972). A list of Rhodesian Legumes. Kirkia 8(2) Page 220. Drummond, R.B. (1975). A list of trees, shrubs and woody climbers indigenous or naturalised in Rhodesia. Kirkia 10(1) Page 247. Mackinder, B. et al. (2001). Papilionoideae Flora Zambesiaca 3(5) Pages 10 - 11. Mapaura, A. & Timberlake, J. (eds) (2004). A checklist of Zimbabwean vascular plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 33 Sabonet, Pretoria and Harare Page 48. Setshogo, M.P. (2005). Preliminary checklist of the plants of Botswana. Sabonet Report no. 37. Sabonet, Pretoria and Gaborone Page 66. Strugnell, A.M. (2006). A Checklist of the Spermatophytes of Mount Mulanje, Malawi Scripta Botanica Belgica 34 National Botanic Garden of Belgium Page 99.

Other sources of information about Erythrina lysistemon:

Our websites:

Flora of Botswana: Erythrina lysistemon
Flora of Malawi: Erythrina lysistemon
Flora of Zimbabwe: Erythrina lysistemon
Flora of Zimbabwe: cultivated Erythrina lysistemon

External websites:

African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Erythrina lysistemon
African Plant Database: Erythrina lysistemon
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Erythrina lysistemon
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Erythrina lysistemon
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Erythrina lysistemon
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
iNaturalist: Erythrina lysistemon
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Erythrina lysistemon
JSTOR Plant Science: Erythrina lysistemon
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Erythrina lysistemon
Plants of the World Online: Erythrina lysistemon
Tropicos: Erythrina lysistemon
Wikipedia: Erythrina lysistemon