Erythrina corallodendrum L., Fabaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Threat only at high elevations?  no

Risk assessment results:  Evaluate, score: 6 (Go to the risk assessment)

Other Latin names:  Erythrina corallodendron L.

Common name(s): [more details]

English: coraltree

French: erythrine

Habit:  shrub/tree

Description:  "Tree to 8 m or shrub. Petioles slender, 6-15 cm long, leaflets rhombic-ovate to rhombic-orbicular or broader than long, 5-15 cm long, 4-12 cm wide, apex acute or acuminate, base rounded or obtuse.  Inflorescence of racemes 10-30 cm long, pedicels short, 3-5 mm long; calyx campanulate, 7-12 mm long, truncate; corolla coral red, 5-6 cm long, standard narrowly oblong or oblong-oblanceolate; wings scarcely exceeding the calyx, keel petals distinct, also shorter than calyx.  Legume moniliform, slightly flattened, 10-15 cm long, stipe 1.5-2 cm long, beak to 2 cm long; seeds 3-9, scarlet" (Howard, 1988; p. 488).

Habitat/ecology:  (no habitat/ecology info known by PIER)

Propagation:  Seed

Native range:  Haiti and Jamaica, cultivated elsewhere (Howard, 1988; p. 488).

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island		Fosberg, F. R. (1997) (p. 51)

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
China China	China (People's Republic of)	introduced	ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre (2005)
Taiwan Taiwan	Taiwan Island	introduced	ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre (2005)

Indian Ocean
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
La Réunion (France) La Réunion Island	La Réunion Island	introduced	ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre (2005)
La Réunion (France) La Réunion Island	La Réunion Island	introduced cultivated	Lavergne, Christophe (2006) "Cultivé/subspontané"
Mauritius Mautitius Islands (Mauritius and Rodrigues)	Mauritius Island	introduced	ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre (2005)
Seychelles Seychelles Islands	Seychelles Islands	introduced	ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre (2005)

Additional information:  Additional online information about Erythrina corallodendrum is available from the Hawaiian Ecosystems at Risk project (HEAR).

Taxonomic information about Erythrina corallodendrum may be available from the Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN).

References:

Fosberg, F. R. 1997. Preliminary checklist of the flowering plants and ferns of the Society Islands. Ed. by David R. Stoddart. U. Cal. Berkeley.

Howard, Richard A. 1988. Flora of the Lesser Antilles: Leeward and Windward Islands. Vol. 4, Dicotyledoneae-Part 1. Arnold Arboretum, Harvard University. 673 pp.

ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre. 2005. International Legume Database & Information Service. Online searchable database.

Lavergne, Christophe. 2006. List des especes exotiques envahissantes a La Reunion. Unpublished manuscript (Excel file). .

U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. 2007. National Genetic Resources Program. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN). Online searchable database.