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Erythrina variegata
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Family:
FABACEAE/LEGUMINOSAE (Subfam.: Papilionoideae)
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Citation: Erythrina variegata L. in Stickman, Herb. Amboin. 10. 1754; Vajr., Fl. Palghat Dist. 161. 1990; Sanjappa, Legumes Ind. 173. 1992; Subram., Fl. Thenmala Div. 105. 1995. 1995; Ratheesh Narayanan, Fl. Stud. Wayanad Dist. 291. 2009.
Erythrina variegata L. var. orientalis (L.) Merr., Interpr. Herb. Amboin. 276. 1917; Manilal & Sivar., Fl. Calicut 90. 1982; Mohanan, Fl. Quilon Dist. 150. 1984; Antony, Syst. Stud. Fl. Kottayam Dist. 131. 1989; Babu, Fl. Malappuram Dist. 186. 1990; Sanjappa, Legumes Ind. 173. 1992; Sasidh. & Sivar., Fl. Pl. Thrissur For. 143. 1996; Sasidh., Fl. Chinnar WLS 97. 1999; Sasidh., Fl. Parambikulam WLS 94. 2002; Sunil & Sivadasan, Fl. Alappuzha Dist. 224. 2009.
Erythrina indica Lam., Encycl. 2: 391. 1786; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 2: 188. 1876; Gamble, Fl. Pres. Madras 353(249). 1918; Ramach. & V.J. Nair, Fl. Cannanore Dist. 142. 1988.
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Malayalam Name(s):
Kalyana, Mullumurukku, Murukku
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Tamil name(s):
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English name(s):
Indian coral tree, Tiger's claw
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Description:
Deciduous trees; bark yellowish or greenish-grey, smooth, peeling off in papery flakes; prickles black on branches, falling after a few years. Leaves trifoliate, alternate, leaflet 10-13.5 x 8.5-12.5 cm, widely ovate, rhomboid or deltoid-ovate, apex acuminate, base truncate or obtuse, margin entire, glabrous, membranous; stipules small, lateral; rachis 17-21 cm, slender, pulvinate, glabrous; stipels gland-like; petiolule 7-10 mm, stout, glabrous; 3 ribbed from base; lateral nerves 4-7 pairs, pinnate, prominent, ascending, intercostae reticulate, faint. Flowers bisexual, bright red, in dense racemes. Calyx spathaceous, oblique, recurved, split to the base on one side, 5-toothed at the tip. Petals 5, sessile ; standard 6.5×2.5 cm, oblong-elliptic, apex obtuse ; wings 1.5 x 1 cm, obovate ; keel 1. 5 x 1.7 cm, oblong-falcate, free. Stamens 10, monadelphous, alternately longer and shorter, vexillary filament free; anthers uniform. Ovary stipitate, inferior, pubescent,1-celled, ovules many; style curved, subulate at the apex, not bearded; stigma capitate. Fruit a pod 15-30.5 cm long, torulose, constricted between seeds, dehiscent; seeds 6-8.
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Habit:
Tree
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Flowering & Fruiting:
March-April
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District(s):
All Districts
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Medicinal:
Yes
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Habitat:
Dry deciduous forests, widely grown as pepper stand and for fencing
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Distribution:
Indo-Malesia, China and Africa
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Aquatic:
No
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Epiphyte(s):
No
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Saprophyte:
No
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Stem parasite:
No
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Root parasite:
No
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Flower colour(s):
Red
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Weed:
No
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Monocot/Dicot:
Dicotyledonous Plants
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Exotic:
No
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Garden:
No
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Edible:
No
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Vegetable:
No
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Endemic to:
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IUCN status:
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Altitude:
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Localities:
Churullipetty, Muthalakkuzhi, Nedumpoyil, Kaikatty forests-Pothundy, Madakkal, Pooyamkutty, Thenmalai
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