ERYTHRINA Crista-galli.
Cock's comb Coral tree.
Natural Order. L eg um in o sa ;. Juss.gen. 34.5.
Subordo I. P a p il io n ACEJE.— TVii«s V. P h a s e o l e a ;. Supra
fol. 142.
E R Y T H R IN A . Supra fol. 142.
E. Crista-galli, caule arboreo, petiolis acuieatis glandulosis, foliolis
ovalibus ovatisque glaucescentibus coriaeeis obtusiuseulis, calyce
trúncalo subbidentato, staminibus 9 connexis décimo libero, ca-
riná calyce tripló longiorc.
Erythrina Crista-galli. Linn. syst. nat. ed. 12. p. 473. Mantissa 99.
Lam. encycl. 2. p. 391. Willden. sp. pl. 3. p. 916. Hort. Kew. 3. p. 9.
ed. 2. u. 4. p. 232. Smith exot. bot.2. p. 69. 1.95. DC. prodr. 2.
p. 413. Sprang, syst. 3. p . 244.
A Stout grovfing Shrub in our collections, but said to
grow to a tree in its native country: branches straight,
erect, slightly angular upwards, but cylindrical below and
striated, of a pale pea green colour, changing to a bright
glossy purple on the upper part amongst the flowers.
Leaves alternate, on long footstalks, each producing three
leaflets, which are also petiolate; leaflets oval, or ovate,
entire, ending in a blunt point, of a thick leathery texture,
dull green, or slightly glaucous on the upper side, more
glaucous underneath, with a strong midrib, which sometimes
produces a prickle, pinnately nerved and reticulately veined
with very small inconspicuous veins; footstalks of the leaflets
green, and fleshy, the terminal one producing two sessile
glands at the base on the upper side, the side ones producing
one each, which are slightly pedicled or raised up. Petioles
purplish, generally producing 3 to 6 hooked prickles, angular,
flattened on the upper side and rounded on the lower,
very thick and fleshy near the base, smooth and glossy.
Plowers axillary and terminal, the branch lengthening out
into a sort of raceme, generally in threes, the upper part
without leaves, of a deep scarlet, dying off to dark crimson.
Peduncles of a bright dark purple or chocolate colour, at
first ascending, but afterwards, from the weight of the flowers,
becoming twisted, which makes the flowers resupinate.
Calyx campanulate, smooth and glossy, of a purplish brown,
contracted at the mouth before the flowers expansion,
slightly striate; when the flower is expanded, it becomes
truncate, with a brown membranaceous border, terminating
at the back of the vexillum into a sort of blunt tooth, and