Erythrina lysistemon
Common coral tree
Erythrina lysistemon, commonly known as the Coral Tree, is a versatile medicinal plant native to Southern Africa. Renowned for its vibrant red blooms, it possesses significant therapeutic properties. Traditionally, its bark and leaves are utilized to treat various ailments, including inflammation, respiratory issues, and digestive discomfort through bioactive compounds.
- Scientific name: Erythrina lysistemon
- 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. It is further classified within the order Fabales and the family Fabaceae. Finally, it is categorized under the genus Erythrina as the species Erythrina lysistemon.
| 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, Erythrina lysistemon, is known by various regional names across different languages in Southern Africa. In isiXhosa, it is referred to as Umsintsi, while in isiZulu, it is commonly called Umsinsi. In Sepedi (tn) and Sesotho sa Leboa (nso), the plant is known as Mophete, and in Tshivenda, it is called Muvhale.| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| xh | Umsintsi | Wikidata |
| nso | Mophete | Wikidata |
| tn | Mophete | Wikidata |
| ve | Muvhale | Wikidata |
| zu | Umsinsi | Wikidata |
| st | Mokhungwane | Wikidata |
| zh | 黑刺桐 | Wikidata |
| zh-hans | 黑刺桐 | Wikidata |
| zh-cn | 黑刺桐 | Wikidata |
| en | Common coral tree | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant exhibits a diverse geographical distribution spanning several distinct regions. Within the Macaronesia archipelago, it can be found growing in Madeira. Moving to Northeast Tropical Africa, the species is documented in Ethiopia. Its range also extends across East Tropical Africa, where it inhabits both Kenya and Tanzania. Finally, the plant is recorded in the southern reaches of the continent within Malawi.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Macaronesia | Madeira | WCVP |
| Northeast Tropical Africa | Ethiopia | WCVP |
| East Tropical Africa | Kenya | WCVP |
| East Tropical Africa | Tanzania | WCVP |
| South Tropical Africa | Malawi | WCVP |
| South Tropical Africa | Mozambique | WCVP |
| South Tropical Africa | Zimbabwe | WCVP |
| Southern Africa | Botswana | WCVP |
| Southern Africa | Cape Provinces | WCVP |
| Southern Africa | KwaZulu-Natal | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, Erythrina lysistemon, utilizes various anatomical structures for its medicinal properties, most notably its bark and leaves. The bark is highly valued in traditional medicine, often being processed to treat ailments such as inflammation or digestive issues. Additionally, the leaves are frequently employed in herbal remedies, where they are prepared in decoctions or infusions to exploit their specific bioactive compounds. Together, these plant parts serve as the primary components in the therapeutic application of this species.- Total parts
- 2
- Scientific sources
- 3
| Plant Part | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| bark | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| leaves | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Chemicals
Erythrina lysistemon has 5 reported phytochemicals identified across 5 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Alpinumisoflavone, IL-6, abyssinone V-4'-methyl ether, alpinumisoflavone, dichloromethane.
- Total chemicals
- 5
- Scientific sources
- 5
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Alpinumisoflavone | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| IL-6 | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| abyssinone V-4'-methyl ether | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| alpinumisoflavone | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| dichloromethane | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Erythrina lysistemon has 1 reported medicinal uses identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include inflammation.
- Total uses
- 1
- Scientific sources
- 1
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| inflammation | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |