Erythrina crista-galli
Cockspur coral tree
Erythrina crista-galli, commonly known as the Cockspur Coral Tree, is a striking ornamental legume valued for its vibrant red blossoms. Beyond its aesthetic appeal, this species holds significant ethnobotanical importance, with various parts traditionally utilized in folk medicine to treat ailments ranging from skin infections to digestive issues.
- Scientific name: Erythrina crista-galli
- Family: Fabaceae
- Native range: Africa
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. Within the order Fabales, it is classified under the family Fabaceae. Specifically, it is identified by the genus Erythrina, with its species name being crista-galli.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Fabales | WCVP |
| Family | Fabaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Erythrina | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, known scientifically as Erythrina crista-galli, is referred to by several different common names depending on the language and region. In Portuguese, it is known as Corticeira, while in Chinese, its names vary slightly by script and usage: it is called 鸡冠刺桐 in Simplified Chinese (zh-hans and zh-cn), 雞冠刺桐 in Traditional Chinese (zh-hant), and 雞冠刺桐 in the Cantonese usage of Hong Kong (zh-hk).| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| pt | Corticeira | Wikidata |
| zh-hans | 鸡冠刺桐 | Wikidata |
| zh-hant | 雞冠刺桐 | Wikidata |
| zh-hk | 雞冠刺桐 | Wikidata |
| zh-cn | 鸡冠刺桐 | Wikidata |
| zh-sg | 鸡冠刺桐 | Wikidata |
| zh-tw | 雞冠刺桐 | Wikidata |
| ru | Эритрина петушиный гребень | Wikidata |
| ca | Eritrina cresta de gall | Wikidata |
| fi | kukonkorallipuu | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant exhibits a diverse geographical distribution across several distinct regions of the African continent and its surrounding islands. In Northern Africa, its presence has been documented within the borders of Egypt. The species also extends to the Macaronesian region, specifically inhabiting the island of Madeira. Moving into the tropical zones, it can be found in West-Central Tropical Africa in Rwanda. Finally, its range reaches Northeast Tropical Africa, encompassing both Ethiopia and the Sudan-South Sudan area.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Northern Africa | Egypt | WCVP |
| Macaronesia | Madeira | WCVP |
| West-Central Tropical Africa | Rwanda | WCVP |
| Northeast Tropical Africa | Ethiopia | WCVP |
| Northeast Tropical Africa | Sudan-South Sudan | WCVP |
| East Tropical Africa | Kenya | WCVP |
| East Tropical Africa | Tanzania | WCVP |
| East Tropical Africa | Uganda | WCVP |
| South Tropical Africa | Mozambique | WCVP |
| South Tropical Africa | Zimbabwe | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, commonly known as the Cockspur Coral Tree, possesses various components that are utilized in traditional medicine. The leaves are often studied for their bioactive compounds, while the stem bark and the general bark of the tree are frequently cited in ethnobotanical literature for their potential therapeutic properties.- Total parts
- 3
- Scientific sources
- 3
| Plant Part | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| stem bark | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| leaves | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| bark | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Chemicals
Erythrina crista-galli has 15 reported phytochemicals identified across 15 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include (S)-coclaurine, (S)-norprotosinomenine, (S)-norreticuline, 4-hydroxymellein, Phomol.
- Total chemicals
- 15
- Scientific sources
- 15
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| (S)-coclaurine | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| (S)-norprotosinomenine | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| (S)-norreticuline | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| 4-hydroxymellein | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Phomol | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| clavatol | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| erythraline | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| erythrinine | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| mellein | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| mevalonolactone | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Activities
Erythrina crista-galli has 6 reported activities identified across 6 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Analgesic, Antiinflammatory, Astringent, Cicatrizant, Narcotic.
- Total activities
- 6
- Scientific sources
- 6
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Analgesic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antiinflammatory | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Astringent | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Cicatrizant | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Narcotic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Neuroleptic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Erythrina crista-galli has 3 reported medicinal uses identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include astringent, pain, wounds.
- Total uses
- 3
- Scientific sources
- 3
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| astringent | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| pain | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| wounds | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |