Bat's wing coral tree

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Bat-Wing Coral Tree
• beantree
• brake-block-pine
• coraltree
• corktree
• grey corkwood
• heilaman-tree
• Bat's wing Coral tree
• batswing coral tree
• yulbah

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Corallodendron vespertilio

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified under the phylum Streptophyta and the class Equisetopsida. Within the subclass Magnoliidae, it is organized under the order Fabales and the family Fabaceae. Finally, it is identified by its specific genus, Erythrina.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a broad geographical distribution across several distinct regions in Oceania. In the area of Papuasia, it can be found growing within New Guinea. Its presence extends significantly into Australia, where it inhabits the Northern Territory. Furthermore, the species is widely distributed across various Australian states, including Queensland and South Australia. Finally, its range reaches as far as Western Australia, completing its extensive regional footprint.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Life history

The life history of Erythrina vespertilio is characterized by its status as a perennial species, allowing it to persist in its environment over many years through successive growing seasons. As part of its seasonal adaptation, the plant exhibits a deciduous nature, shedding its foliage periodically, which often coincides with its flowering phase or responses to specific climatic shifts. This cycle of growth and dormancy, marked by the periodic loss of leaves and long-term survival, defines its ecological presence and developmental rhythm.

Deciduousness :

deciduous

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Erythrina vespertilio is characterized by its growth form as a woody tree that is entirely independent and non-parasitic. It is a terrestrial species, lacking any aquatic or epiphytic tendencies, and functions as a self-supporting organism rather than a climber, liana, or vine. In terms of stature, the plant exhibits significant size variation, with its height ranging from a minimum of 1 meter to a maximum of 15 meters, maintaining an average plant height of approximately 10 meters.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

tree

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

15 m

Plant height mean:

10 m

Plant height min:

1 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Erythrina vespertilio is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, which dictates its metabolic processes and carbon fixation strategies. The plant exhibits significant morphological variation in its foliage, with leaf dimensions ranging from a minimum length of 2 cm to a maximum length of 10 cm, while the width of the leaves fluctuates between a minimum of 4 cm and a maximum of 12 cm. Furthermore, the plant plays a vital role in soil nutrient cycling as a nitrogen fixer, utilizing symbiotic relationships to convert atmospheric nitrogen into a usable form, thereby enhancing the fertility of its immediate environment.

Leaf length max:

10 cm

Leaf length min:

2 cm

Leaf width max:

12 cm

Leaf width min:

4 cm

Nitrogen fixer :

yes

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Erythrina vespertilio is characterized by the production of specialized fruit structures and specific dispersal mechanisms. The plant produces fruit classified as a pod, which is a dehiscent type, meaning it splits open at maturity to release its contents. The seeds produced within these pods exhibit significant variation in size; the seed mass ranges from a minimum of 0.116355 g to a maximum of 0.8298 g, with an average seed mass of 0.447053 g. Regarding its dissemination strategy, the species follows a zoochorous dispersal syndrome, indicating that its seeds are dispersed by animals, which plays a critical role in the plant's life cycle and spatial distribution.

Dehiscence :

dehiscent

Dispersal syndrome :

zoochorous

Fruit type :

pod

Seed mass max:

0.8298 g

Seed mass mean:

0.447053 g

Seed mass min:

0.116355 g

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Chemicals

Erythrina vespertilio has 2 reported phytochemicals identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include 5-HT, EPN.

5-HT

1. Life sciences

EPN

1. Life sciences

Conditions

Erythrina vespertilio has 1 reported investigations on conditions identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include headache.

Headache

1. Life sciences

Preparations

Erythrina vespertilio has 1 reported preparations identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include Extracts.

Extracts

1. Life sciences