Erythrina lysistemon

Erythrina lysistemon, the sacred coral tree, is a small to medium-sized tree reaching heights around 6 m to 10 m (SA Tree List No. 245).

The trunk is often thick, branching from low down. The bark is fairly smooth, pale grey-brown, not corky. There are longitudinal grooves and sometimes scattered, hooked thorns present. 

The leaves have the well-known Erythrina trifoliolate structure. Leaflets are large, ovate and hairless with attenuating leaflet apices. Scattered hooked prickles are often present on the petioles, petiolules and the leaflet midribs. Larger prickles grow on the grey bark of the stems.

These trees grow widespread across South African northern and eastern parts, from the Eastern Cape to Limpopo and as far west as North West. It also occurs in Zimbabwe, Zambia, Mozambique and further.

It grows in different habitats including bushveld, scrub forest and coastal bush. The species is not considered to be threatened in its habitat early in the twenty first century (Coates Palgrave, 2002; Pooley, 1993; http://redlist.sanbi.org).