Erythrina fusca
| Erythrina fusca | |
|---|---|
| File:Erythrina fusca.jpg | |
| Scientific classification Edit this classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Fabales |
| Family: | Fabaceae |
| Subfamily: | Faboideae |
| Genus: | Erythrina |
| Species: | E. fusca
|
| Binomial name | |
| Erythrina fusca | |
| Synonyms[2] | |
|
List
| |
Erythrina fusca is a species of flowering tree in the legume family, Fabaceae.[2][3] It is known by many common names, including purple coraltree, gallito, bois immortelle, bucayo, and the more ambiguous "bucare" and "coral bean". E. fusca has the widest distribution of any Erythrina species; it is the only one found in both the New and Old World. It grows on coasts and along rivers in tropical Asia, Oceania, the Mascarene Islands, Madagascar, Africa, and the Neotropics.[4]
The easy-to-grow and attractive flowering tree is cultivated as an ornamental shade and hedge plant. It is a common shade tree in cacao plantations. It attracts hummingbirds, which pollinate its flowers.
E. fusca is the official flower of the Venezuelan state of Trujillo.
Description
[edit | edit source]E. fusca is a deciduous tree with spiny bark and light orange flowers. Its legume pods reach 20 centimetres (7.9 in) in length and contain dark brown seeds. The seeds are buoyant, allowing them disperse across oceans.[5] The tree is highly adapted to coastal conditions, tolerant of both flooding and salinity.[6]
Like many other species in the genus Erythrina, E. fusca contains toxic alkaloids which have been utilized for medicinal value but are poisonous in larger amounts. The most common alkaloid is erythraline, which is named for the genus.
As food
[edit | edit source]The buds and leaves are eaten as a vegetable. In Thailand Erythrina fusca (Thai: ทองหลาง) leaves are often eaten in Miang kham (Thai: เมี่ยงคำ).[7]
References
[edit | edit source]- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ a b Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ ทองหลาง[dead link]
External links
[edit | edit source]
- New Crops Info Page
- Genus Erythrina Archived 2013-06-16 at the Wayback Machine
- Study: E. fusca as a protein supplement for cattle
- Flowers, Pollination & Ocean Dispersal In Coral Trees (Erythrina) Archived 2009-10-05 at the Wayback Machine
Lua error in Module:Taxonbar at line 165: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).
- IUCN Red List least concern species
- Erythrina
- Trees of the Amazon rainforest
- Pantropical flora
- Flora of Tanzania
- Flora of the Western Indian Ocean
- Flora of tropical Asia
- Trees of Central America
- Trees of the Caribbean
- Trees of northern South America
- Trees of Brazil
- Trees of western South America
- Trees of Africa
- Trees of the Pacific
- Austronesian agriculture
- Taxa named by João de Loureiro