Erythrina variegata L., Herb. Amboin. 10. 1754; Sa & Gilbert, Fl. China 10: 237-239. 2010; Sa & Gilbert, Fl. China @ eFloras.org 10:238; kerelaplants.in; Erythrina indica Lam., Encycl. Method. Bot. 2: 391. 1786; Hook.f., Fl. Brit. Ind. 2: 188. 1879; Gamble, Fl. Pres. Madras 353 (249). 1918; Ramach. & Nair, Fl. Cannanore Dist. 142. 1988; E. variegata var. orientalis (L.) Merr., Interpr. Herb. Amboin. 276. 1917; Sanjappa, Legumes Ind. 173. 1992.

Trees up to 20 m tall; bark yellowish or greyish-green, smooth, branches with straight minute prickles, falling after few years. Leaves alternate, pinnately 3-foliate, usually clustered at branch tips; stipules 7-13 mm x 2-3 mm, lanceolate, slightly curved, puberulent, deciduous; petioles 10-15 cm long, usually without prickles, sometimes in between two lateral leaflets, base pulvinate; rachis 17-20 cm long. Terminal leaflet 13-20 cm x 12-17 cm, ovate, rhombic- ovate or deltoid-ovate, both surfaces glabrous excepting simple or stellate brown hairs on veins abaxially, base broadly cuneate, rounded or truncate, margin entire, apex acuminate, lateral nerves 4-7 pairs, pinnate; lateral leaflets smaller than terminal leaflet, 12-17 cm x 9-13 cm, nearly similar to terminal leaflet excepting being oblique; petiolules 9-12 mm long, pubescent; base of leaflets with pair of glandular stipels, ca. 2 mm x 2 mm. Inflorescence many-flowered terminal dense racemes, 10-16 cm long, peduncle robust, woody, 7-12 cm long, pubescent, flowers paired. Flowers bisexual, zygomorphic, 5-merous, perigynous, ca. 7 cm long, bright orange red; pedicels ca. 1 cm long, pubescent. Calyx spathe-like, ca. 2 cm long, split on one side, green, densely pubescent, mouth oblique with 5 short lobes. Corolla orange-red, papilionaceous, 6-7 cm long; vexillum ca. 6.8 cm x 2.7 cm, oblong-elliptic, longitudinally folded in middle, apex acute, shortly clawed, claw ca. 4 mm long. Wings and keels subequal; wings ca. 2.5 cm x 0.6 cm, obovate, claw ca. 2 mm long. Keel ca. 2.8 cm x 1.0 cm, oblong-falcate, claw ca. 5 mm long; keel petals separate. Stamens 10, monoadelphous, sheath ca. 4 cm long, filaments alternately longer (ca. 1.6 cm) and shorter (ca. 1.1 cm), vexillary stamen incompletely free and shortest; anthers uniform, ca. 3-4 mm long, dorsifixed. Ovary stipitate, stipe ca. 2 cm long, pubescent, unilocular, ovules many, placentation marginal; style ca. 2 cm long, subulate, not bearded; stigma small, capitate.

Legumes 15-30 cm long, torulose, constricted between seeds, dehiscent; seeds 6-8. (Fruits not observed)

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