Morphology of coral tree horticultural uses of coral tree

1. Coral tree
(Erythrina variegata)
Kingdom: plantae
Order: Fabales
Family: Fabaceae
Genus: Erythrina
Species: Erythrina variegata

2. They escription: coral tree ( Erythrina variegata) is a
spreading tropical and sub tropical tree legume, renowned as
an ornamental for its conspicuous red blossoms.
Morphological characteristics:
• Erythrina variegata is a showy, spreading,deciduous tree
legume that can reach a height of 18 to 25 m. thecrown
may range from 6 to 12 m in diameter.
• Leaves: the leaves are compound , trifoliate borne on 2 to
28 cm long petiole.
• Root: shallow-rooted , the root exploring only the upper
30 cm of the soil.
• Stem: they have many stout and prickly branches. The
bark is grey or grey-green in colour.

4. •Inflorescence: raceme terminal, hairy, dense and up
to 2.5 cm long .
•Flower: petals are bright red and shorter than the
calyx .
Calyx is about 4cm long and minutely 5 toothed at
the tip.
Stamens are 10, upper filaments free nearly to the
base or more or less connate with other.
Ovary many ovuled , style incurved.
•Fruits: the fruits are cylindrical pods constricted
around the seeds, 10 to 25 cm long and 1.2 to 2 cm
in diameter.

5. Horticultural uses:
•Young, tender leaves and young sprouts eaten as vegetable, used in
curries.
•Seeds used internally and externally for cancer.
•Juice of leaves used to cure earache , toothache and cough. Also used to
stimulate lactation and menstruation.
•Roots used for skin disease.

6. Thank you