About Erythrina flabelliformis Kearney
Erythrina flabelliformis, commonly called chilicote or western coral bean, is a plant species native to central and northwestern Mexico, and the southwestern United States. It has been recorded across a range from Baja California south to Morelos, east to San Luis Potosí in Mexico, and also occurs in the U.S. states of Arizona and New Mexico. This species grows as a shrub or small tree, reaching up to 3 meters (10 feet) in height. Young stems are white, covered in velvety hair-like pubescence, and lined with curved prickles that are approximately 6 mm (0.25 inches) long. Its leaves are trifoliate, with stiff, leathery leaflets that are typically broader than they are long. Bright scarlet flowers, around 4 cm (1.6 inches) long, grow crowded into terminal racemes. The fruit tapers at both ends and is covered in tiny, dense hairs. Its seeds are oval, up to 15 mm (0.6 inches) across, bright scarlet with a white hilum. If consumed, the seed walls are potentially lethal due to the alkaloids they contain.
