Senegal coraltree

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Senegal coraltree

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Chirocalyx latifolius
• Corallodendron senegalense
• Erythrina senegalensis var. camerounensis
• Macrocymbium vogelii
• Erythrina latifolia
• Erythrina guineensis

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae within the phylum Streptophyta and the class Equisetopsida. Classified under the subclass Magnoliidae and the order Fabales, it is a member of the Fabaceae family. Finally, it is identified by the genus Erythrina.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant is primarily distributed across the diverse landscapes of West Tropical Africa. Specifically, its presence can be documented within the borders of Benin. It also grows naturally throughout the territories of Burkina and Gambia. Furthermore, the species is found in the regions of Ghana. Finally, its geographical range extends into Guinea-Bissau.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Life history

The life history of Erythrina senegalensis is characterized by its status as a perennial organism, allowing it to persist in its environment over many growing seasons. As a phanerophyte, its regenerative buds are elevated well above the ground surface, typically manifesting as a woody shrub or small tree. This phanerophyte life form ensures its structural stability and long-term survival, enabling the plant to maintain its stature and reproductive capacity throughout its extended lifespan.

Life form :

phanerophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Erythrina senegalensis is characterized by its growth form as a woody tree that functions as a self-supporting structure. As a terrestrial species, it is an independent organism and does not exhibit parasitic or epiphytic behaviors. The plant's stature varies significantly depending on environmental conditions, with recorded heights ranging from a minimum of approximately 3.05 meters to a maximum of 15.24 meters, maintaining a mean height of roughly 4 meters.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

tree

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

15.24018532 m

Plant height mean:

4 m

Plant height min:

3.048037064 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Erythrina senegalensis is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, which dictates its carbon fixation processes and metabolic efficiency within its natural habitat. As a member of the Fabaceae family, the plant exhibits a specialized symbiotic relationship with soil microorganisms, functioning as a nitrogen fixer. This ability to convert atmospheric nitrogen into a bioavailable form provides a significant physiological advantage, enhancing its nutrient uptake and supporting robust growth even in nitrogen-limited soils.

Nitrogen fixer :

yes

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

Reproduction in Erythrina senegalensis is characterized by the production of seeds that exhibit a highly consistent morphological profile regarding their weight. The seed mass is uniform across the observed population, with a recorded mean seed mass of 0.14434 g. This consistency is reflected in the maximum and minimum recorded values, which both align at 0.14434 g, indicating a lack of variance in seed weight within the studied parameters. Such precision in seed mass suggests a stabilized reproductive strategy aimed at producing offspring with standardized nutrient reserves.

Seed mass mean:

0.14434 g

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Erythrina senegalensis has 3 reported plant parts identified across 5 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include stem, leaf, root.

Stem

1. Planta medica
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology
3. Journal of natural products

Leaf

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Root

1. Planta medica

Chemicals

Erythrina senegalensis has 18 reported phytochemicals identified across 5 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Senegalensin, Alpinumisoflavone, Carpachromene, Derrone, Erysenegalensein M.

Senegalensin

1. Journal of natural products
2. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Alpinumisoflavone

1. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Carpachromene

1. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Derrone

1. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Erysenegalensein M

1. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Erysodine

1. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Erythrisenegalone

1. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Erythrodiol

1. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Glycosides

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Maniladiol

1. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Activities

Erythrina senegalensis has 2 reported activities identified across 5 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Analgesic, Antiplasmodial.

Analgesic

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Antiplasmodial

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Conditions

Erythrina senegalensis has 12 reported investigations on conditions identified across 5 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include Alzheimer's disease, Plasmodium berghei, Pneumococcus, Streptococcus pneumoniae, bacterial diseases.

Alzheimer's disease

1. American journal of neurodegenerative disease

Plasmodium berghei

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Pneumococcus

1. African journal of traditional, complementary, and alternative medicines : AJTCAM

Streptococcus pneumoniae

1. African journal of traditional, complementary, and alternative medicines : AJTCAM

Bacterial diseases

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Cancer

1. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Dysentery

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Fevers

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Liver diseases

1. Natural product communications

Malaria

1. Natural product communications

Preparations

Erythrina senegalensis has 3 reported preparations identified across 5 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include Aqueous extracts of the stem bark, decoction, stem bark.

Aqueous extracts of the stem bark

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Decoction

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Stem bark

1. Journal of natural products