About Erythrina leptorhiza Moc. & Sessé ex DC.
Unlike most Erythrina species, which are typically woody trees or shrubs, Erythrina leptorhiza is a herbaceous perennial. Its bright orange flowers and trifoliate leaves are otherwise typical of the Erythrina genus. The plant retains leaves through most of its flowering period. However, when its striking clusters of flowers (called inflorescences) emerge from the soil on top of stiff peduncles, they can appear to rise leafless directly from the ground. This species has no accepted English common name. In Mexico, it is sometimes known by the indigenous names ococha, patol, or cochizquilit. It grows in the highlands of Mexico's Western Sierra Madre, central Mexico, and extends south into Oaxaca.
