Erythrina crista-galli
Categories: Plant stubs | Faboideae | Argentine flora
| Cockspur coral tree | ||||||||||||||||||
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| Image:Erythrina crista-galli2.jpg Erythrina crista-galli | ||||||||||||||||||
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| Erythrina crista-galli L. |
Erythrina crista-galli is a flowering tree of the family Fabaceae, which is found in Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil and Paraguay, receiving several local common names (ceibo, seíbo, bucaré). In English it is known as Cockspur coral tree.
Erythrina crista-galli is a small annual tree, with a trunk measuring 50 cm in girth, and usually between 5 and 8 metres high, though some grow up to 10 m, such as the ceibos in the Argentina provinces of Salta, Jujuy and Tucumán. The species is characteristic of the formation known as "gallery forest". It is found naturally along water courses, in swamps and wetlands, and it is also grown in urban settings (such as parks) due to its bright red flowers.
The Cockspur coral tree is the national flower of Argentina and Uruguay, and the official city tree of Los Angeles, California (where it is referred to simply as "the coral tree").
References
- Material in this article has been drawn from the Spanish Wikipedia.
- Día de la Flor Nacional (in Spanish) - "National Flower Day", in Argentina's Ministry of Health and Environment website (scientific description, pictures).