Erythrina senegalensis
Erythrina senegalensis, the Senegal coraltree, is a plant in the pea family Fabaceae, native to West Africa. Description Erythrina senegalensis grows as a tree up to tall, rarely to . The bark is fissured. The leaves are composed of three leaflets which measure up to long, on a thorny stalk. Inflorescences have many flowers with bright red petals. The seeds are poisonous. Distribution and habitat Erythrina senegalensis is native to West Africa, across the region from Mauritania to Chad and Cameroon. Its habitat is in wooded grassland or savanna. Uses Erythrina senegalensis is locally used in traditional medicine. The wood is locally used to make knife handles and the seeds to make necklaces. The species is cultivated as an ornamental and also used in hedges. References senegalensis Flora of West Tropical Africa Flora of Chad Flora of Cameroon Plants described in 1825 Taxa named by Augustin Pyramus de Candolle