Erythrina herbacea

Distribution Map: Based on vouchered plant specimens only. View county names by placing the mouse cursor over a particular county.

Family:	FABACEAE
Species:	Erythrina herbacea L.
Common Name:	Coral Bean; Cardinal Spear; Red Cardinal
Habitat:	**
Associated Ecological Communities:	**
Growth Habit:	Herb
Duration:	Perennial
Category:	Vascular
USDA Symbol:	**
Plant Notes:	Cherokee Bean is a native semi-woody species in the Bean family (Fabaceae). It can found in the southern half of Alabama. Cherokee Bean grows in pine woods, in thickets, in prairies, and on old dunes. The dark green compound leaves are armed with prickles on the lower side of the leaf along the major veins, and the stems have recurved spines. Tubular bright red flowers are produced in long racemes. These flowers are attractive to hummingbirds. Flowers are followed by oddly shaped fruit that are curved and constricted between the seeds. At maturity, the fruit splits open to reveal the scarlet seed which remain attached to the fruit. In addition to the southeastern United States, Cherokee Bean extends south into Mexico. In our area, the plant is usually killed back to ground level by cold weather. In more tropical areas it forms a shrub or small tree. All parts of the plant, but especially the seed are poisonous. They have been used to poison rats and fish in the past. The seed have also been used by Native Americans as beads. Cherokee Bean can be purchased in some native plant nurseries, and several other species are often seen in the landscape. Plants can also be grown from seed or root divisions. Cherokee Bean grows best in full or partial sun on well drained soils. It is best used as an accent plant in an area away from heavy traffic. It is very drought tolerant.--A. Diamond
Taxonomic Notes:	**
Status:	Native
References:	**

** Not applicable or data not available.

Classification

Family	FABACEAE - Pea/Bean family
Genus	Erythrina
Species	Erythrina herbacea L. - Coral Bean; Cardinal Spear; Red Cardinal

Citation

Citation	Erythrina herbacea Linnaeus, Sp. Pl. 2: 706. 1753.
Basionym:	**
Type:	"Corallodendron humile, spica florum longissima coccinea, radice crassissimo," (lectotype: Catesby, Nat. Hist. Carolina 2: t. 49. 1736). Lectotypified by J.L. Reveal, in Turland & C.E. Jarvis, Taxon 46: 469. 1997.

** Not applicable or data not available.

Synonyms

Synonym	Full Citation	Basionym	Type
Corallodendron herbaceum	Corallodendron herbaceum (Linnaeus) Kuntze, Revis. Gen. Pl. 1: 172. 1891.	Erythrina herbacea Linnaeus 1753.
Erythrina arborea	Erythrina arborea (Chapman) Small, Fl. S.E. U.S. 647, 1332. 1903.	Erythrina herbacea Linnaeus, var. arborea Chapman 1897
Erythrina hederifolia	Erythrina hederifolia (Rafinesque) Sprengel, Syst. Veg. 3: 244. 1826.	Erythrina hederifolius Rafinesque 1817.
Erythrina herbacea var. arborea	Erythrina herbacea Linnaeus, var. arborea Chapman, Fl. South. U.S., ed. 3. 117. 1897.		FLORIDA
Erythrina humilis	Erythrina humilis Salisbury, Prodr. Stirp. Chap. Allerton 335. 1796, nom. illegit.	Erythrina herbacea Linnaeus 1753.
Erythrina rubicunda	Erythrina rubicunda Jacquin, Fragm. Bot. 75, t. 119. 1809.		Without data, Jacquin s.n. (holotype: W).
Xyphanthus hederifolius	Xyphanthus hederifolius Rafinesque, Fl. Ludov. 103. 1817.		LOUISIANA

Specimens and Distribution

This species has been reported in the following counties by the herbaria listed. An overview of the individual specimens are provided in the table that follows. Click on the accession number to view details; click on column headers to sort; choose a county or herbaria to filter the specimen data.

Counties included on distribution map: Autauga, Baldwin, Barbour, Bullock, Butler, Chilton, Clarke, Coffee, Conecuh, Coosa, Covington, Crenshaw, Dale, Dallas, Escambia, Geneva, Henry, Houston, Lee, Marengo, Mobile, Monroe, Montgomery, Perry, Pike, Sumter, Washington, Wilcox

Herbaria represented by specimen data listed below: ALNHS, AUA, JSU, SAMF, TROY, UNA, USAM, UWAL, UWFP

Range of years during which specimens were collected: 1869 - 2022

Barcode / Accession No.	County	Coll. Date	Collector & Collection No.	Herbarium & Herbarium Name Used
AUA000011769	Autauga	14 Jun 1982	Gunn, Scott C. 699	AUA Erythrina Herbacea L.
AUA000011785	Coosa	23 Jun 1973	Redmond, Bill 87	AUA Erythrina Herbacea L.
UNA00016840	Mobile	15 Jul 1965	Deramus, Rebecca D552	UNA Erythrina herbacea L.
UWAL0006865	Perry	04 Jun 2006	Keener, Brian R. 2928	UWAL Erythrina herbacea L.
USAM000006367	Mobile	01 Jun 1974	LeLong, Michel G. 7791	USAM Erythrina herbacea Linnaeus
UNA00016846	Mobile	15 May 1869	Mohr, Charles s.n.	UNA Erythrina herbacea L.
USAM000006368	Monroe	27 Apr 1975	LeLong, Michel G. 8426	USAM Erythrina herbacea Linnaeus
TROY000005149	Coffee	26 May 2000	Martin, Brian H. 726	TROY Erythrina herbacea Linnaeus
AUA000011784	Conecuh	25 May 1985	Diamond, Alvin R. 744	AUA Erythrina Herbacea L.
UNA00016837	Baldwin	18 Mar 1950	Stallard, W.A. 18	UNA Erythrina herbacea L.
AUA000011786	Crenshaw	30 May 1996	Diamond, Alvin R. 10275	AUA Erythrina Herbacea L.
AUA000011798	Wilcox	20 May 1982	Gunn, Scott C. 670	AUA Erythrina Herbacea L.
UNA00016844	Henry	13 Jun 1979	Davenport, Lawrence J. 1154	UNA Erythrina herbacea L.
TROY000005150	Conecuh	21 May 2005	Diamond, Alvin R. 15404	TROY Erythrina herbacea Linnaeus
AUA000011794	Montgomery	8 May 1992	Diamond, Alvin R. 8246	AUA Erythrina Herbacea L.
TROY000032125	Baldwin	25 Apr 2009	England, J. Kevin 2018	TROY Erythrina herbacea Linnaeus
AUA000011776	Baldwin	16 May 1964	Creel, John	AUA Erythrina Herbacea L.
TROY000005151	Crenshaw	12 May 1998	Hall, James A. 4	TROY Erythrina herbacea Linnaeus
AUA000011775	Baldwin	29 Apr 1967	Barrick, William E.	AUA Erythrina Herbacea L.
UWAL0012195	Washington	21 Jun 2013	Keener, Brian R. 7946	UWAL Erythrina herbacea Linnaeus
TROY000005153	Dale	02 May 1999	Prazinko, Brian F. s.n.	TROY Erythrina herbacea Linnaeus
UWFP009325	Escambia	23 Aug 2014	James R. Burkhalter 24922	UWFP Erythrina herbacea Linnaeus
AUA000011779	Bullock	8 May 1949	Orr, William P.	AUA Erythrina Herbacea L.
UNA00016843	Marengo	18 Jun 1969	Thomas, Joab L. 2250	UNA Erythrina herbacea L.
AUA000011777	Baldwin	7 May 1960	Mixon, Aubrey	AUA Erythrina Herbacea L.
TROY000038105	Bullock	23 Aug 2013	Dykes, Bailee 1707	TROY Erythrina herbacea Linnaeus
AUA000011796	Monroe	13 Oct 1981	Henderson, T. 747	AUA Erythrina Herbacea L.
TROY000019643	Dallas	23 Jun 2007	Keener, Brian R. 3726	TROY Erythrina herbacea Linnaeus
AUA000011791	Lee	10 May 1949	Cunningham, Hugh B.	AUA Erythrina Herbacea L.
TROY000046773	Autauga	26 May 2017	Parker, Matthew R. 876	TROY Erythrina herbacea Linnaeus
AUA000011793	Mobile	2 Jun 1972	Kral, Robert 47103	AUA Erythrina Herbacea L.
UWAL0038247	Mobile	01 Jun 1974	LeLong, Michel G. 7791	UWAL Erythrina herbacea Linnaeus
UWAL0057042	Dallas	12 Jun 2022	England, Kevin J. 13051	UWAL Erythrina herbacea L.
AUA000011771	Barbour	30 May 2002	Gil, Glenda (2001-185)	AUA Erythrina Herbacea L.
AUA000011799	Wilcox	15 Jul 1973	Owen, J.T. 110	AUA Erythrina Herbacea L.
TROY000030695	Baldwin	19 Apr 1953	Scott, C.E. s.n.	TROY Erythrina herbacea Linnaeus
AUA000011795	Monroe	18 Oct 1980	Webb, A.L. 127	AUA Erythrina Herbacea L.
AUA000011792	Marengo	8 Jun 1981	Henderson, T. 152	AUA Erythrina Herbacea L.
TROY000005155	Dale	12 Apr 1997	Rundell, Hannelore 73	TROY Erythrina herbacea Linnaeus
UWAL0047634	Houston	20 May 2016	Barger, T. Wayne DTP-265	UWAL Erythrina herbacea L.
UWAL0006864	Dallas	23 Jun 2007	Keener, Brian R. 3726	UWAL Erythrina herbacea L.
UNA00016838	Mobile	22 Apr 1950	Crawford, Lloyd C. 969	UNA Erythrina herbacea L.
AUA000011797	Monroe	13 May 1981	O'Halloran, K. 147	AUA Erythrina Herbacea L.
SAMF0001740	Washington	21 Jun 2013	Davenport, Lawrence J. 5486	SAMF Erythrina herbacea Linnaeus
AUA000011788	Dallas	17 Jun 1982	Gunn, Scott C. 798	AUA Erythrina Herbacea L.
UWAL0006863	Baldwin	25 Apr 2009	England, J. Kevin 2018	UWAL Erythrina herbacea L.
TROY000045130	Geneva	20 Apr 2017	Byrd, Cameron 1037	TROY Erythrina herbacea Linnaeus
UNA00016845	Wilcox	26 May 1978	Haynes, Robert R. 6520	UNA Erythrina herbacea L.
USAM000006366	Mobile	01 Jun 1974	LeLong, Michel G. 7800	USAM Erythrina herbacea Linnaeus
TROY000019642	Butler	18 May 2008	Diamond, Alvin R. 19272	TROY Erythrina herbacea Linnaeus
JSU133526	Sumter	27 Jun 1970	Kral, Robert 39763	JSU Erythrina herbacea Linnaeus
AUA000024947	Covington	20 May 2009	Hansen, Curtis J. 4036	AUA Erythrina Herbacea L.
TROY000005154	Dale	07 May 2000	Pennington, Tiffany 649	TROY Erythrina herbacea Linnaeus
AUA000011772	Barbour	7 Jun 2002	Gil, Glenda 2001-203	AUA Erythrina Herbacea L.
AUA000011780	Chilton	19 May 1972	Redmond, Bill 0035	AUA Erythrina Herbacea L.
UWAL0037464	Bullock	13 May 2016	Soehren, Eric C. 261	UWAL Erythrina herbacea L.
AUA000011782	Clarke	26 May 1976	Sessler, Ann H. 082	AUA Erythrina Herbacea L.
UWAL0037463	Bullock	13 May 2016	Soehren, Eric C. 261	UWAL Erythrina herbacea L.
USAM000006364	Mobile	17 May 1970	Freeland, D.G. 1	USAM Erythrina herbacea Linnaeus
TROY000029302	Perry	04 Jun 2006	Keener, Brian R. 2928	TROY Erythrina herbacea Linnaeus
AUA000011789	Dale	24 May 1992	Diamond, Alvin R. 8274	AUA Erythrina Herbacea L.
UNA00008715	Wilcox	20 May 1982	Gunn, Scott C. 670	UNA Erythrina herbacea L.
AUA000011773	Barbour	7 Jun 2002	Gil, Glenda 2001-203	AUA Erythrina Herbacea L.
AUA000011774	Baldwin	29 Apr 1967	Rankin, H.Taylor 154	AUA Erythrina Herbacea L.
UWAL0006867	Sumter	02 Oct 1993	Stanton, Lee E. B-052	UWAL Erythrina herbacea L.
AUA000011778	Baldwin	19 Apr 1953	Scott, C.E.	AUA Erythrina Herbacea L.
UWAL0047610	Clarke	22 May 2012	Horne, Howard E. SWS-119	UWAL Erythrina herbacea L.
TROY000005152	Crenshaw	16 Jul 2000	Diamond, Alvin R. 11851	TROY Erythrina herbacea Linnaeus
USAM000006365	Baldwin	20 Apr 1974	LeLong, Michel G. 7574	USAM Erythrina herbacea Linnaeus
ALNHS00003509	Dallas	26 Jul 2015	Barger, T. Wayne SP#1934	ALNHS Erythrina herbacea L.
UWAL0013427	Marengo	13 Jun 2013	England, J. Kevin 4293	UWAL Erythrina herbacea Linnaeus
UWAL0006866	Sumter	13 Jul 1995	Cooper, Jennifer B-053	UWAL Erythrina herbacea L.
AUA000011790	Lee	15 Jul 1973	Owen, J.T. 110	AUA Erythrina Herbacea L.
TROY000044872	Marengo	13 Jun 2013	England, J. Kevin 4293	TROY Erythrina herbacea Linnaeus
AUA000011787	Crenshaw	21 May 1970	Montgomery, John 310	AUA Erythrina Herbacea L.
TROY000005157	Pike	03 Nov 1999	Johnson, Jason W. 1	TROY Erythrina herbacea Linnaeus
AUA000011781	Clarke	14 May 1981	Henderson, T. 074	AUA Erythrina Herbacea L.
TROY000005156	Pike	01 Apr 1999	Martin, Brian H. 122	TROY Erythrina herbacea Linnaeus
UWAL0017953	Clarke	10 Jun 1996	Kral, Robert 96067	UWAL Erythrina herbacea L.
AUA000011783	Clarke	28 Apr 1974	Lancaster, D.S. 286	AUA Erythrina Herbacea L.
UWAL0043089	Baldwin	02 Oct 2001	Larsen, Harry S. 920	UWAL Erythrina herbacea L.
AUA000011770	Baldwin	4 May 1969	Moore, Harold D. 147-69	AUA Erythrina Herbacea L.

View a List of All Ecological Communities

For more information, contact: Brian R. Keener, Ph.D.

Data last modified: 11/9/2024

Web Development: The Florida Center for Community Design + Research

A member of the University of South Florida family of PlantAtlas.org sites

Citation Information:

Keener, B.R., A.R. Diamond, T.W. Barger, L.J. Davenport, P.G. Davison, S.L. Ginzbarg, C.J. Hansen, D.D. Spaulding, J.K. Triplett, and M. Woods. 2024. Alabama Plant Atlas. [S.M. Landry and K.N. Campbell (original application development), Florida Center for Community Design and Research. University of South Florida]. University of West Alabama, Livingston, Alabama.

Data, text, and images licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.

Erythrina herbacea

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Classification

Citation

Synonyms

Specimens and Distribution