About Erythrina senegalensis DC.
Erythrina senegalensis DC. grows as a tree, reaching up to 7 metres (23 feet) tall, and rarely grows as tall as 15 metres (50 feet). Its bark is fissured. The leaves of this tree are made up of three leaflets, each of which measures up to 15 centimetres (6 inches) long, and attach to a thorny stalk. Its inflorescences bear many flowers that have bright red petals. The seeds of Erythrina senegalensis are poisonous. This species is native to West Africa, found across the region ranging from Mauritania to Chad and Cameroon. It grows in habitats of wooded grassland or savanna. Locally, Erythrina senegalensis is used in traditional medicine. Its wood is used locally to craft knife handles, and its seeds are used to make necklaces. The species is cultivated as an ornamental plant, and is also used to form hedges.
