Erythrina zeyheri flower

Erythrina zeyheri presents some of the truly spectacular spring flowers on the grasslands of the South African Highveld. Removing these ancient giants of the underground from grassland for agricultural purposes is like killing rhinos!

Temperate southern African grasslands usually have few tree species, 10 percent to 40 percent grassy plants and a majority of forbs or herbaceous flowering plants in their rich biodiverse vegetation mix.

Where the tree trunk is subterranean, the grassland appearance is not interfered with. Sourcing of water and minerals by such a tree occurs several meters below the upper soil. Plants with shorter roots are not really competition. They might be seen as cooperating neighbours, helping to protect the soil surface from erotion and depositing material that becomes food for all that cohabit here.

Species that survive together compete and collaborate simultaneously, giving rise to the term co-opetition (Braam van Wyk, Geasphere Conference 2006).

(See also the Erythrina Album under Genera.)