Common name: Cockspur Coral Tree
Erythrina crista-galli L. APNI* Description: Deciduous shrub or small tree to 6 m high, small prickles on trunk and branches; glabrous.
Leaves 3-foliolate; leaflets ± ovate to elliptic, 3–6 cm long, 2–5 cm wide, glabrous; petiole 5–10 cm long; lateral petiolules 0.5–1 cm long, terminal petiolule 3–4 cm long.
Racemes 8–30 cm long, erect, 20–40-flowered, flowers often in clusters of 3. Calyx c. 10 mm long, tube sometimes split. Corolla scarlet; standard narrow-obovate, 4–5 cm long, recurved; wings c. 1 cm long; keel 3–3.5 cm long.
Pods blackish 8 - 22 cm long, slightly constricted between the seeds. Seeds brownish black.
Flowering: Flowers spring.
Distribution and occurrence: Commonly cultivated, becoming widely naturalized, especially in coastal districts along streams. Native of S Amer.
NSW subdivisions: *NC
Declared Noxious Weed
Text by G.J. Harden
Taxon concept: Flora of NSW 2 (1991)
APNI* Provides a link to the Australian Plant Name Index (hosted by the Australian National Botanic Gardens) for comprehensive bibliographic data
***The AVH map option provides a detailed interactive Australia wide distribution map drawn from collections held by all major Australian herbaria participating in the Australian Virtual Herbarium project.
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