Compilation
Erythrina abyssinica

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Name

Identification
Erythrina abyssinica Lam. [family LEGUMINOSAE ]
Related name
  • Erythrina abyssinica

Flora

Entry for Erythrina abyssinica Lam. ex DC. [family LEGUMINOSAE]
Herbarium
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (K)
Collection
Flora Zambesiaca
Resource Type
Reference Sources
Entry From
FZ, Vol 3, Part 5, (2001) Author: B. Mackinder, R. Pasquet, R. Polhill and B. Verdcourt
Names
Erythrina abyssinica Lam. ex DC. [family LEGUMINOSAE], Prodr. 2: 413 (1825). —Louis in Bull. Jard. Bot. État 13: 306 (1934). —Brenan in Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 8: 409 (1954). —Gillett in Kew Bull. 15: 426 (1962). —Torre in C.F.A. 3: 248 (1966). —Verdcourt in F.T.E.A., Leguminosae, Pap.: 555 (1971). —Hennessy, South African Erythrinas: 33, t. 12 (1972). —Drummond in Kirkia 8: 220 (1972). —Jacobsen in Kirkia 9: 160 (1973). —Krukoff & Barneby in Lloydia 37: 427 (1974). —Codd in Fl. Pl. Africa 44: t. 1738 (1977). —Gonçalves in Garcia de Orta, Sér. Bot. 5: 81 (1982). —Krukoff & Barneby in Allertonia 3: 134, t. 112, 113 (1982). —Lock, Leg. Afr. Check-list: 408 (1989). —Hennessy in Bothalia 21: 4 (1991). —Mackinder in Kirkia 14: 121 (1993). Type a plant cultivated at the Trianon, Paris, from seeds brought back from Ethiopia by James Bruce.
Chirocalyx tomentosus Hochst. [family LEGUMINOSAE], in Flora 29: 600 (1846). Type from Ethiopia.
Erythrina tomentosa R. Br. ex A. Rich. [family LEGUMINOSAE], Tent. Fl. Abyss. 1: 213 (1847). —J.G. Baker in F.T.A. 2: 184 (1871) pro majore parte. —Eyles in Trans. Roy. Soc. South Africa 5: 381 (1916) pro parte. —E.G. Baker, Legum. Trop. Africa: 373 (1929). —Hutchinson, Botanist South. Africa: 503, 510 (1946). —Majot-Rochez & Duvigneaud in F.C.B. 6: 120 (1954). —White, F.F.N.R.: 152 (1962). Type from Ethiopia.
Erythrina suberifera Welw. ex Baker [family LEGUMINOSAE], in F.T.A. 2: 183 (1871). Type from Angola.
Erythrina mossambicensis Sim [family LEGUMINOSAE], For. Fl. Port. E. Afr.: 43, t. 54 (1909). —E.G. Baker, Legum. Trop. Africa: 370 (1929). Type: Mozambique, Sim 5833 (not traced); lectotype designated by Hennessy (1972): t. 54 in Sim (1909).
Erythrina pelligera Fenzl [family LEGUMINOSAE], in Flora 27: 312 (1844). Type from Ethiopia.
Chirocalyx abyssinicus Lam. ex DC. Hochst. [family LEGUMINOSAE], in Flora 29: 600 (1846).
Erythrina bequaertii De Wild. [family LEGUMINOSAE], in Rev. Zool. Bot. Africaines 8, Suppl. Bot.: B15 (1920). Syntypes from Dem. Rep. Congo.
Erythrina tomentosa var. longicauda Baker f. [family LEGUMINOSAE], Legum. Trop. Africa: 374 (1929). Type from Kenya.
Erythrina warneckeii Baker f. [family LEGUMINOSAE], Legum. Trop. Africa: 375 (1929). Syntypes from Tanzania.
Erythrina kaessneri Baker f. [family LEGUMINOSAE], Legum. Trop. Africa: 375 (1929). Type from Kenya.
Erythrina platyphylla Baker f. [family LEGUMINOSAE], Legum. Trop. Africa: 376 (1929). Type from Kenya.
Erythrina eggelingii Baker f. [family LEGUMINOSAE], in J. Bot. 76: 238 (1938). Type from Uganda.
Erythrina sp. 1 [family LEGUMINOSAE], of F. White, F.F.N.R.: 152 (1962). —Lock, Leg. Afr. Check-list: 412 (1989).
Erythrina abyssinica subsp. suberifera Welw. ex Baker Verdc. [family LEGUMINOSAE], in Kew Bull. 24: 284 (1970).
Information
Tree, rarely a shrub, 3–10 m tall, with a rounded crown; bark brown, thick, corky, deeply longitudinally fissured; young branches usually spiny. Terminal leaflet 6–14 × 6–16 cm, broadly elliptic to subrotund, often broader than long; lateral leaflets 4.5–14 × 3–11 cm, broadly ovate-rhombic, asymmetric at the base; petiole 8–17 cm long, armed with scattered prickles; rhachis 3–8 cm long; petiolules 3–12 mm long; stipules 3–7 mm long, linear-triangular. Inflorescence a terminal pseudoraceme; peduncle 4–16 cm long, densely tomentose; rhachis 5–20 cm long; bracts 6–8 × 2–3 mm, oblong, caducous; pedicels 2–5 mm long; bracteoles 4–8 × 1 mm, filiform, caducous. Calyx spathaceous, split fully by the emergent corolla along its abaxial edge, densely tomentose; tube 0.6–1.8 cm long; lobes 0.6–4.5 cm long, shape very variable, filiform, linear, elliptic, obovate or turbinate. Corolla red, glabrous; standard 2.8–4 × 1.1–1.5 cm, elliptic-oblong; wings 7–11 × 4–6 mm; keel petals free, 5–6 × 3–4 mm. Vexillary stamen joined only at the base; others fused along half their length into a tube. Ovary 1.5–2.5 cm, narrowly cylindrical-oblong. Pod brown to black 4.8–10.2 cm, curved, moniliform, woody, pubescent, 1–10-seeded. Seeds red, 6–12 × 5–7 × 3–5 mm; hilum black, 5–7 × 2–3 mm, narrowly elliptic.
Habitat
A scattered tree in wooded grassland, in open deciduous woodland and on rocky hillsides; can be grown as a 'living fence' from truncheons
Range
throughout East Africa
Altitude range
200–1400 m.
1400
200
Distribution
Mozambique MS Gorongosa, fl. & fr. 12.xi.1949, Pedro & Pedrógão 9219 (PRE).Mozambique T between Furancungo and Angónia, fl. 23.ix.1941, Torre 3304 (LISC).Mozambique Z Mocuba Distr., 16 km from Mocuba–Maganja da Costa crossroads, fr. 8.ii.1966, Torre & Correia 14459 (LISC).Malawi S Mangochi Distr., Namwera, St. Martha Hospital, 23.viii.1976, Pawek 11666 (K; MA; MO).Malawi C Nkhotakota Distr., Kasabula’s Village, fr. 3.viii.1946, Brass 17114 (K; NY).Zimbabwe E Mutasa Distr., Odzani R. Valley, fl. & fr. 1915, Teague 530 (BOL).Zimbabwe C Goromonzi Distr., Caledonia Farm, fr. i.1961, O.B. Miller 7619 (K; SRGH).Zambia S Mazabuka Distr., Choma to Namwala, c. 48 km, fl. 2.viii.1952, F. White 3027 (BR; FHO).Zambia E Petauke, fr. 3.xii.1958, Robson 812 (K; SRGH).Zambia C Munshiwemba, fl. vii.1940, Stohr (BR).Zambia W Solwezi to Kansanshi Mine, c. 8 km, fl. 14.ix.1952, F. White 3247 (FHO; K).Zambia N Mbala Distr., Lake Chila, fr. 19.xii.1952, Angus 800 (FHO; K).Mozambique N Meluco Distr., between Meluco and Ravia, fl. & fr. ix.1948, Pedro & Pedrógão (EA; LISC).Malawi N Mzimba Boma, fl. 25.viii.1936, B.D. Burtt 6083 (BR; K).Zimbabwe N Makonde Distr., fl. 28.ix.1962, Jacobsen 1856 (PRE).Zambia B Sesheke, fl., Macaulay 141 (K).
Distribution (external)
Dem. Rep. Congo
Ethiopia
Sudan
Notes
Miller 2246 representing a hybrid between E. lysistemon and E. abyssinica was collected from an 8 m tree growing naturally in the Harare Botanic Garden. The specimen has the bilabiate calyx and fused keel petals of E. lysistemon Hutch. with the longer calyx lobes (upwards of 6 mm) and dense tomentum of E. abyssinica Lam. ex DC. See also erythrina× coddii.Verdcourt in Kew Bull. 24: 284 (1970) considers that two distinct subspecies of this species can be recognised at either end of its geographical range, distinguished mainly by the size and shape of the calyx lobes. Having studied material from the Flora Zambesiaca area, I concur with his view that in the middle of the geographical range of this species (Zambia and Dem. Rep. Congo) intermediate populations occur rendering the use of these subspecific ranks impractical.

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