Erythrina velutina
StarErythrina velutina
Synonyms: Erythrina aculeatissima, Erythrina velutina f. aurantiaca, Chirocalyx velutinus, Erythrina splendida, Corallodendron velutinum, Erythrina aurantiaca
Western Herbalism Properties
Traditional Uses
In Brazilian folk medicine, particularly in the northeast, Erythrina velutina is known as 'mulungu' and the bark, seeds, and flowers are prepared as teas and decoctions used as a sedative and anxiolytic to calm agitation, treat insomnia, and ease nervous excitability. These calming effects are attributed to isoquinoline (erythrina-type) alkaloids, whose central nervous system activity has been documented in pharmacological studies (Vasconcelos et al., 2007; Raupp et al., 2008). Note that these same alkaloids are potentially toxic, and the plant is not without risk.
Botanical Description
Erythrina velutina is a deciduous tree reaching about 10 to 12 m tall, with a spreading open crown, corky fissured bark, and short conical spines on the trunk and branches. The leaves are alternate and trifoliate, the three broadly ovate to rhombic leaflets each 8 to 15 cm long, often softly velvety-hairy beneath. Showy coral-red to scarlet, papilionaceous flowers are borne in dense terminal racemes 10 to 20 cm long before or with the new foliage, attracting birds. The fruit is an elongate, constricted, woody legume pod that splits to release several hard, bright reddish-brown seeds. Native to seasonally dry tropical regions of South America, it is especially common in the arid caatinga of northeastern Brazil, growing on plains, rocky slopes, and near watercourses, and is widely planted for shade and as a living fence.
This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace professional medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before using any herbal remedy, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, or taking medications.
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