Erythrina coralloides
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| Naked Coral Tree | ||||||||||||||||||
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| Erythrina coralloides D.C. |
Erythrina coralloides (Flame Coral Tree, Naked Coral Tree) is an ornamental tree because there are red and white flower clusters on this plant, and they are mixed in colored clusters. The flowers are also used for food source.
It is native to Mexico in Central America, United States in North America, and South America. In addition, its white wood is used for bungs, and in San Luis Potosí for making various figures.
The seeds are very poisonous, and it is said to contain erythroidine, a powerful paralyzant of the motor system, erythroresin, an emetic, coralin and erythric acid. The extract has been suggested as a substitute for curare. These seeds are elliptic, smooth, glossy, coral-red, with a salient longitudinal line on the back, and with a white hilum, surrounded with a black border. The analysis by Rio de la Loza showed these seeds to contain 13.35 solid and liquid fat, 0.32 resin soluble in ether, 13.47 resin soluble in alcohol, 1.61 erythrococalloidine, an alkaloid, 5.60 albumen, 0.83 gum, 1.55 sugar, 0.42 organic acid, 15.87 starch, 7.15 moisture and 39.15 inorganic matter (and cellulose?).
[edit] References
- Maisch, John M. Materia Medica of the New Mexican Pharmacopoeia - Part 5 American Journal of Pharmacy Volume 57 # 9, September, 1885.
- Remington, Joseph P.; Wood, Horatio C. et alii. (1918) The Dispensatory of the USA, 20th Edition.
