Erythrina mulungu

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• mulungú

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Erythrina flammea

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

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

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a broad geographical distribution across several key regions of South America. In the western portion of the continent, it can be found growing within Bolivia. Its presence is particularly extensive throughout Brazil, spanning multiple diverse territories. Specifically, it inhabits the North, Northeast, Southeast, and West-Central regions of the country. This wide-ranging habitat demonstrates the plant's ability to thrive in various Brazilian ecosystems.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Erythrina verna is characterized by its adaptability to diverse environmental settings, allowing it to thrive across a variety of distinct ecosystems. It is commonly found in anthropic areas, where it can persist in landscapes modified by human activity, as well as in more natural and complex forest structures. Specifically, its distribution encompasses coastal or riparian environments such as coastal forests (Floresta Ciliar) and gallery forests (Floresta de Galeria), where moisture availability is often higher. Furthermore, the species is integrated into seasonal landscapes, inhabiting semi-deciduous seasonal forests (Floresta Estacional Semi-decidual), as well as more humid, high-rainfall environments categorized as ombrophilous forests (Floresta Ombrófila), including tropical rainforest settings.

Habitat :

Área Antrópica, Floresta Ciliar ou Galeria, Floresta Estacional Semidecidual, Floresta Ombrófila (= Floresta Pluvial)

Life history

The life history of Erythrina verna is characterized by its status as a perennial plant, meaning it maintains its vegetative structures and continues to live through multiple growing seasons rather than completing its cycle in a single year. As a deciduous species, it undergoes a seasonal cycle where it sheds its leaves, typically in response to dry periods or specific climatic cues, entering a period of dormancy before regenerating new foliage. This combination of a long-lived perennial lifecycle and a deciduous growth habit allows the plant to adapt to its environmental rhythms, cycling through phases of active growth and leaf senescence.

Deciduousness :

deciduous

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Erythrina verna is characterized by its robust growth form as a woody tree. It is a self-supporting plant that grows in a terrestrial habitat and does not function as a climber, liana, or vine. As an independent organism, it does not exhibit parasitic behavior and is strictly terrestrial rather than being an epiphyte. The plant displays significant vertical development, reaching an average height of approximately 12 m, with the potential to reach a maximum height of up to 25 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

tree

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

25 m

Plant height mean:

12 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Erythrina verna is characterized by its specialized metabolic processes, most notably its capacity for symbiotic nitrogen fixation. As a member of the Fabaceae family, this species functions as a nitrogen fixer, establishing a mutualistic relationship with Rhizobium bacteria within specialized root nodules. This physiological adaptation allows the plant to convert atmospheric nitrogen into bioavailable forms, such as ammonia, which significantly enhances its nutrient uptake and enables growth in nitrogen-deficient soils. Beyond its nitrogen-fixing capabilities, the plant exhibits robust photosynthetic efficiency and complex secondary metabolism, producing various bioactive alkaloids and polyphenolic compounds as part of its chemical defense and physiological regulation mechanisms.

Nitrogen fixer :

yes

Reproduction

The reproduction of Erythrina verna is driven by a biotic pollination syndrome, indicating that its reproductive success is dependent on living organisms rather than abiotic factors. Specifically, the plant utilizes a bird pollination syndrome, where avian visitors play the primary role in transferring pollen between flowers. This specialized interaction is characteristic of the genus, as the floral morphology is evolved to facilitate efficient pollen transfer via bird activity, ensuring the genetic continuity and successful fertilization of the species.

Pollination syndrome :

bird

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Activities

Erythrina verna has 2 reported activities identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Anticonvulsant, Anxiolytic.

Anticonvulsant

1. The Journal of pharmacy and pharmacology

Anxiolytic

1. The Journal of pharmacy and pharmacology

Conditions

Erythrina verna has 4 reported investigations on conditions identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include anxiety, anxiolytic effects, epileptic seizures, seizures.

Anxiety

1. BMC complementary and alternative medicine

Anxiolytic effects

1. The Journal of pharmacy and pharmacology

Epileptic seizures

1. The Journal of pharmacy and pharmacology

Seizures

1. The Journal of pharmacy and pharmacology