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Sunday, August 9, 2009

Erythrina cristagalli (Cockspur Coral Tree)

Height : 8 m
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Erythrina cristagalli  02
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Common name : Cockspur Coral Tree
Local names : ceibo, seíbo, corticeira, dadap merah
Family: Fabaceae

Erythrina crista-galli is a flowering tree in the family Fabaceae, native to Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil and Paraguay. It is widely planted as a street or garden tree in other countries, most notably in California (in the United States). It is known by several common names within South America: ceibo, seíbo (Spanish), corticeira (Portuguese) and the more ambiguous bucaré, to name a few. In English it is often known as the Cockspur Coral Tree.

The tree's flower is the national flower of Argentina and Uruguay. It is also the official city tree of Los Angeles, California (where it is referred to simply as "the coral tree").

This species characteristically grows wild in gallery forest ecosystems along water courses, as well as in swamps and wetlands. In urban settings, it is often planted in parks for its bright red flowers. (source : wikipedia)