Erythrina abyssinica stem

The stem of Erythrina abyssinica is pale brown, thickly corky on old trunks and sometimes spiny on younger ones.

This species resembles the South African E. latissima, although its leaflets are generally smaller than those of E. latissima and hairless when mature. Prickles are present on the veins of E. abyssinica and its inflorescences are borne vertically rather than horizontally. E. latissima is also more frost resistent, being adapted in a more southerly distribution.

E. abyssinica grows easily from truncheons or seed, but is frost sensitive when young.

The wood of E. abyssinica is whitish, light and soft. Not general timber, it is still used widely, e.g. to manufacture drums, fishing-net floats, pestles and brake blocks (Coates Palgrave, 2002; Van Wyk and Van Wyk, 1997; www.zimbabweflora.co.zw).