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Conservation Status
IUCN: not evaluated
USFWS: None
Family: FABACEAE Genus: Erythrina Species: abyssinica Species Author: Lam. ex DC. Vernacular: Red Hot Poker Tree or Kaffir-boom
This tree grows up to 40 m. and has very corky and furrowed bark. The branches have spines. The leaflets are diamond shaped, and hairy getting up to 15 cm long. The red hot poker tree has gorgeous bright red flowers which hand down in a raceme. The tree produces curved woody pods, 10-15 cm. long with 5-8 scarlet colored seeds inside.
(Staples, G. W. and D. R. Herbst. 2005. A Tropical Garden Flora: Plants cultivated in the Hawaiian Islands and other tropical places. Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu, Hawai`i.)
The bark of young stems is used to treat trachoma. It is also roasted and applied to burns and swellings. Powdered root is used for syphilis, anthrax, and snakebites
(Rulangaranga, Z.K. Some Important Indigenous Medicinal and Aromatic Plants in the Wild Flora of Tanzania Mainland. Tropical Forestry Action Plan, Working Paper 24. Tanzania Ministry of Lands, Natural Resources and Tourism, Dar es Saalam. 1989).
Many seeds in this genus contain toxic alkaloids and are used to create poisons. Although there are no documented cases of human poisonings be carefull.
(Staples, G. W. and D. R. Herbst. 2005. A Tropical Garden Flora: Plants cultivated in the Hawaiian Islands and other tropical places. Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu, Hawai`i.)
Geographic Distribution: This tree is native to tropical Africa, where it is fairly common in the wild.
(Staples, G. W. and D. R. Herbst. 2005. A Tropical Garden Flora: Plants cultivated in the Hawaiian Islands and other tropical places. Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu, Hawai`i.)
Erythrina flowers are pollinated by several species of birds. Most of the American species have flowers that open away from the flower stalk, so that hovering hummingbirds can feed on their nectar. Species that are native to areas without hummingbirds have flowers oriented the other direction so that birds can perch on the stalk while feeding.
(Staples, G. W. and D. R. Herbst. 2005. A Tropical Garden Flora: Plants cultivated in the Hawaiian Islands and other tropical places. Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu, Hawai`i.)
We currently have 5 herbarium specimens for Erythrina abyssinica in our collection. Click on any specimen below to view the herbarium sheet data.
