Erythrina herbacea

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

Species Distribution Map
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:**
Specimen: View specimen details in the Alabama Herbarium Consortium Specimen Database

** Not applicable or data not available.

Classification

FamilyFABACEAE - 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

SynonymFull CitationBasionymType
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

Counties represented by specimen data listed below:

Herbaria represented by specimen data listed below: ALNHS, AMAL, AUA, JSU, 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		 Image
AUA000011793 Mobile 2 Jun 1972 KRAL, ROBERT
47103		 AUA
ERYTHRINA HERBACEA L.
UWAL0047634 Houston 20 May 2016 Barger, T. Wayne
DTP-265		 UWAL
Erythrina herbacea L.
TROY000005150 Conecuh 21 May 2005 Diamond, Alvin R.
15404		 TROY
Erythrina herbacea Linnaeus
USAM000006365 Baldwin 20 Apr 1974 LeLong, Michel G.
7574		 USAM
Erythrina herbacea Linnaeus
AUA000011782 Clarke 26 May 1976 SESSLER, ANN H.
082		 AUA
ERYTHRINA HERBACEA L.
UWAL0006864 Dallas 23 Jun 2007 Keener, Brian R.
3726		 UWAL
Erythrina herbacea L.
AUA000011785 Coosa 23 Jun 1973 REDMOND, BILL
87		 AUA
ERYTHRINA HERBACEA L.
TROY000019642 Butler 18 May 2008 Diamond, Alvin R.
19272		 TROY
Erythrina herbacea Linnaeus
AUA000011798 Wilcox 20 May 1982 GUNN, SCOTT C.
670		 AUA
ERYTHRINA HERBACEA L.
UNA00016846 Mobile 15 May 1869 Mohr, Charles
s.n.		 UNA
Erythrina herbacea L.
AUA000011786 Crenshaw 30 May 1996 DIAMOND, JR., ALVIN R.
10275		 AUA
ERYTHRINA HERBACEA L.
UWAL0017953 Clarke 10 Jun 1996 Kral, Robert
96067		 UWAL
Erythrina herbacea L.
AUA000011792 Marengo 8 Jun 1981 HENDERSON, T.
152		 AUA
ERYTHRINA HERBACEA L.
AUA000011778 Baldwin 19 Apr 1953 SCOTT, C.E.
 AUA
ERYTHRINA HERBACEA L.
UWAL0012195 Washington 21 Jun 2013 Keener, Brian R.
7946		 UWAL
Erythrina herbacea Linnaeus
AUA000011780 Chilton 19 May 1972 REDMOND, BILL
0035		 AUA
ERYTHRINA HERBACEA L.
AUA000011799 Wilcox 15 Jul 1973 OWEN, J.T.
110		 AUA
ERYTHRINA HERBACEA L.
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.
ALNHS00003509 Dallas 26 Jul 2015 Barger, T. Wayne
SP#1934		 ALNHS
Erythrina herbacea L.
AMAL00023987 Monroe 25 May 2011 Barger, T. Wayne
202		 AMAL
Erythrina herbacea L.
AUA000011772 Barbour 7 Jun 2002 GIL, GLENDA
2001-203		 AUA
ERYTHRINA HERBACEA L.
AUA000011776 Baldwin 16 May 1964 CREEL, JOHN
 AUA
ERYTHRINA HERBACEA L.
AUA000011781 Clarke 14 May 1981 HENDERSON, T.
074		 AUA
ERYTHRINA HERBACEA L.
JSU133526 Sumter 27 Jun 1970 Kral, Robert
39763		 JSU
Erythrina herbacea Linnaeus
AUA000011774 Baldwin 29 Apr 1967 RANKIN, H.TAYLOR
154		 AUA
ERYTHRINA HERBACEA L.
AMAL00012669 Dallas 23 Jun 2007 Keener, Brian R.
3726		 AMAL
Erythrina herbacea L.
AUA000011790 Lee 15 Jul 1973 OWEN, J.T.
110		 AUA
ERYTHRINA HERBACEA L.
AUA000011769 Autauga 14 Jun 1982 GUNN, SCOTT C.
699		 AUA
ERYTHRINA HERBACEA L.
USAM000006366 Mobile 01 Jun 1974 LeLong, Michel G.
7800		 USAM
Erythrina herbacea Linnaeus
TROY000019643 Dallas 23 Jun 2007 Keener, Brian R.
3726		 TROY
Erythrina herbacea Linnaeus
TROY000005153 Dale 02 May 1999 Prazinko, Brian F.
s.n.		 TROY
Erythrina herbacea Linnaeus
TROY000005152 Crenshaw 16 Jul 2000 Diamond, Alvin R.
11851		 TROY
Erythrina herbacea Linnaeus
UNA00016838 Mobile 22 Apr 1950 Crawford, Lloyd C.
969		 UNA
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.
AMAL00014852 Perry 04 Jun 2006 Keener, Brian R.
2928		 AMAL
Erythrina herbacea L.
UWAL0038247 Mobile 01 Jun 1974 LeLong, Michel G.
7791		 UWAL
Erythrina herbacea Linnaeus
AUA000011795 Monroe 18 Oct 1980 WEBB, A.L.
127		 AUA
ERYTHRINA HERBACEA L.
UWAL0013427 Marengo 13 Jun 2013 England, J. Kevin
4293		 UWAL
Erythrina herbacea Linnaeus
TROY000038105 Bullock 23 Aug 2013 Dykes, Bailee
1707		 TROY
Erythrina herbacea Linnaeus
AUA000011783 Clarke 28 Apr 1974 LANCASTER, D.S.
286		 AUA
ERYTHRINA HERBACEA L.
AUA000011791 Lee 10 May 1949 CUNNINGHAM, HUGH B.
 AUA
ERYTHRINA HERBACEA L.
AUA000011771 Barbour 30 May 2002 GIL, GLENDA
(2001-185)		 AUA
ERYTHRINA HERBACEA L.
SAMF0001740 Washington 21 Jun 2013 Davenport, L.J.
5486		 UWAL
Erythrina herbacea Linnaeus
UWFP009325 Escambia 23 Aug 2014 James R. Burkhalter
24922		 UWFP
Erythrina herbacea Linnaeus
AUA000011775 Baldwin 29 Apr 1967 BARRICK, WILLIAM E.
 AUA
ERYTHRINA HERBACEA L.
AUA000011789 Dale 24 May 1992 DIAMOND, JR., ALVIN R.
8274		 AUA
ERYTHRINA HERBACEA L.
TROY000046773 Autauga 26 May 2017 Parker, Matthew R.
876		 TROY
Erythrina herbacea Linnaeus
AUA000011797 Monroe 13 May 1981 O'HALLORAN, K.
147		 AUA
ERYTHRINA HERBACEA L.
UWAL0047610 Clarke 22 May 2012 Horne, Howard E.
SWS-119		 UWAL
Erythrina herbacea L.
TROY000044872 Marengo 13 Jun 2013 England, J. Kevin
4293		 TROY
Erythrina herbacea Linnaeus
AUA000011770 Baldwin 4 May 1969 MOORE, HAROLD D.
147-69		 AUA
ERYTHRINA HERBACEA L.
UWAL0006867 Sumter 02 Oct 1993 Stanton, Lee E.
B-052		 UWAL
Erythrina herbacea L.
UWAL0006866 Sumter 13 Jul 1995 Cooper, Jennifer
B-053		 UWAL
Erythrina herbacea L.
AUA000011773 Barbour 7 Jun 2002 GIL, GLENDA
2001-203		 AUA
ERYTHRINA HERBACEA L.
AUA000011796 Monroe 13 Oct 1981 HENDERSON, T.
747		 AUA
ERYTHRINA HERBACEA L.
AUA000011784 Conecuh 25 May 1985 DIAMOND, JR., ALVIN R.
744		 AUA
ERYTHRINA HERBACEA L.
TROY000005154 Dale 07 May 2000 Pennington, Tiffany
649		 TROY
Erythrina herbacea Linnaeus
AUA000011779 Bullock 8 May 1949 ORR, W.P.
 AUA
ERYTHRINA HERBACEA L.
UWAL0037464 Bullock 13 May 2016 Soehren, Eric C.
261		 UWAL
Erythrina herbacea L.
AMAL00007006 Baldwin 12 May 2000 Kral, R.
89738		 AMAL
Erythrina herbacea L.
USAM000006367 Mobile 01 Jun 1974 LeLong, Michel G.
7791		 USAM
Erythrina herbacea Linnaeus
TROY000032125 Baldwin 25 Apr 2009 England, J. Kevin
2018		 TROY
Erythrina herbacea Linnaeus
AUA000045344 Dallas 24 May 2010 BARGER, T.WAYNE
OC-240		 AUA
ERYTHRINA HERBACEA L.
UNA00008715 Wilcox 20 May 1982 Gunn, Scott C.
670		 UNA
Erythrina herbacea L.
TROY000005156 Pike 01 Apr 1999 Martin, Brian H.
122		 TROY
Erythrina herbacea Linnaeus
TROY000005151 Crenshaw 12 May 1998 Hall, James A.
4		 TROY
Erythrina herbacea Linnaeus
UNA00016837 Baldwin 18 Mar 1950 Stallard, W.A.
18		 UNA
Erythrina herbacea L.
UWAL0043089 Baldwin 02 Oct 2001 Larsen, Harry S.
920		 UWAL
Erythrina herbacea L.
TROY000005157 Pike 03 Nov 1999 Johnson, Jason W.
1		 TROY
Erythrina herbacea Linnaeus
UWAL0037463 Bullock 13 May 2016 Soehren, Eric C.
261		 UWAL
Erythrina herbacea L.
TROY000005149 Coffee 26 May 2000 Martin, Brian H.
726		 TROY
Erythrina herbacea Linnaeus
AUA000011777 Baldwin 7 May 1960 MIXON, AUBREY
 AUA
ERYTHRINA HERBACEA L.
AUA000011794 Montgomery 8 May 1992 DIAMOND, JR., ALVIN R.
8246		 AUA
ERYTHRINA HERBACEA L.
USAM000006368 Monroe 27 Apr 1975 LeLong, Michel G.
8426		 USAM
Erythrina herbacea Linnaeus
USAM000006364 Mobile 17 May 1970 Freeland, D.G.
1		 USAM
Erythrina herbacea Linnaeus
TROY000005155 Dale 12 Apr 1997 Rundell, Hannelore
73		 TROY
Erythrina herbacea Linnaeus
UNA00016843 Marengo 18 Jun 1969 Thomas, Joab L.
2250		 UNA
Erythrina herbacea L.
TROY000030695 Baldwin 19 Apr 1953 Scott, C.E.
s.n.		 TROY
Erythrina herbacea Linnaeus
UWAL0057042 Dallas 12 Jun 2022 England, Kevin J.
13051		 UWAL
Erythrina herbacea L.
UNA00016844 Henry 13 Jun 1979 Davenport, Lawrence J.
1154		 UNA
Erythrina herbacea L.
TROY000029302 Perry 04 Jun 2006 Keener, Brian R.
2928		 TROY
Erythrina herbacea Linnaeus
UNA00016840 Mobile 15 Jul 1965 Deramus, Rebecca
D552		 UNA
Erythrina herbacea L.
AUA000011787 Crenshaw 21 May 1970 MONTGOMERY, JOHN
310		 AUA
ERYTHRINA HERBACEA L.
AUA000024947 Covington 20 May 2009 HANSEN, CURTIS J.
4036		 AUA
ERYTHRINA HERBACEA L.
UWAL0006865 Perry 04 Jun 2006 Keener, Brian R.
2928		 UWAL
Erythrina herbacea L.
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