火炬刺桐

火炬刺桐學名Erythrina caffra (Thunb.) Kuntze、Erythrina viarium Tod.、Erythrina coralloides、Coast Coral Tree、African Coral Tree、Kaffir Coral Tree，英文名Kaffir Coral Tree，豆科蝶形花亞科刺桐屬半落葉喬木植物，又稱南非刺桐、金剛刺桐、火焰刺桐、火炬莿桐、海岸珊瑚樹、大地之母、象牙紅，原產於非洲東部至南部，樹冠常能延伸至十公尺，樹幹通直，樹皮灰褐色，樹枝擴展，斜上昇或直立，樹幹上佈滿瘤狀黑刺，葉互生，三出羽狀複葉，小葉闊卵形、圓形，端部銳尖，基部圓鈍，全緣葉，小葉徑約七、八公分，葉紙質至薄革質，葉表面綠色，具光澤，葉背顏色較淡，羽狀脈，兩側細脈網狀，具明顯葉枕，與托葉離生，具托葉，葉柄長四至八公分，小葉柄長二、三公分，近光滑無毛，兩性花，總狀花序，頂生，花序長七至十公分，花部份 約四、五公分，有柔毛或近光滑無毛，花密集，花萼合生鐘狀，呈佛燄苞狀，紙質，不規則開裂，暗紫褐色，蝶形花冠，呈不開張之長牙形，花紅色，有淡黃色品種，具柔毛或近光滑無毛，花瓣五枚，長短不一，覆瓦狀排列，旗瓣重摺呈長管狀，或向後反捲而露出花之其他部份，長四至六公分，寬約十二、十三公釐，龍骨瓣長二十五公釐，合生，雄蕊十枚，二體雄蕊，其中九枚合生成束，一枚離生，有時十枚雄蕊合生至花絲中途，雌蕊心皮一枚，柱頭頭狀，子房柄長，子房上位，子房一室，邊緣胎座，莢果，帶狀、長條狀，長十至十二公分，近木質，種子數枚，橢圓形，紅色，種臍黑色。

刺桐(Erythrina)屬品種多，常見之刺桐有：
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Erythrina abyssinica(非洲刺桐)
Erythrina acanthocarpa(南非刺桐)
Erythrina aculeatissima
Erythrina amazonica
Erythrina americana(美洲刺桐)
Erythrina arborescens(鸚哥花、大葉刺桐、喬木刺桐)
Erythrina atitlanensis
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Erythrina berteroana(馬提羅亞刺桐)
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Erythrina caffra(南非刺桐、火炬刺桐)
Erythrina caffra var. mossambicensis
Erythrina chiapasana
Erythrina chiriquensis
Erythrina corallodendron(珊瑚刺桐、龍牙花)
Erythrina crista-galli(雞冠刺桐)
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Erythrina erythrostachia
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Erythrina falcata
Erythrina flabelliformis
Erythrina folkersii(福克刺桐)
Erythrina fusca(褐花刺桐、雞冠刺桐)
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Erythrina glauca(葉灰刺桐)
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Erythrina herbacea(小刺桐、綠刺桐、珊瑚豆)
Erythrina humeana(矮刺桐、納塔爾刺桐)
Erythrina humeana var. raja
Erythrina humei
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Erythrina indica(刺桐)
Erythrina indica var. picta(黃脈刺桐)
Erythrina inermis
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Erythrina lanceolata
Erythrina latissima(Chirocaly × mollissimus)
Erythrina laurifolia
Erythrina lithosperma
Erythrina lysistemon(念珠刺桐、黑刺桐)
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Erythrina mairei
Erythrina monosperma
Erythrina mysorensis
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Erythrina poeppigiana
Erythrina princeps(納塔爾刺桐)
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Erythrina reticulata(象牙花)
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Erythrina salviiflora(鼠尾草花刺桐)
Erythrina sandwicensis(夏威夷刺桐、桑威刺桐)
Erythrina secundiflora(翅果刺桐)
Erythrina senegalensis(塞內加爾刺桐)
Erythrina speciosa(象牙花)
Erythrina speciosa 'Rosea'
Erythrina speciosa 'Salmon Pink'
Erythrina stricta(勁直刺桐)
Erythrina stricta var. yunnanensis(雲南刺桐)
Erythrina suberosa(拴狀刺桐、嚙蝕刺桐)
Erythrina subumbrans(翅果刺桐)
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Erythrina tienensis
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Erythrina variegata(刺桐)
Erythrina variegata var. picta(黃脈刺桐)
Erythrina variegate 'Parcellii'(黃脈刺桐)
Erythrina variegata 'Variegata'(黃脈刺桐)
Erythrina vespertilio(蝙蝠刺桐)
Erythrina yunnanensis(雲南刺桐)
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Erythrina zeyheri
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Erythrina × bidwillii(珊瑚刺桐)
Erythrina × sykesii
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