NHD52/36

Cockspur coral tree

Erythrina crista-galli L.; Fabaceae family

Original inscriptions: 姑抱 (front lower left in ink); Kou-pow-she (reverse lower right in pencil)

Further inscriptions: H. Sh. (front lower left in ink); Erythrina crista-galli (front lower right in pencil)

Flowering branch of a cockspur coral tree. One main nodose, thick and upright branch of pale greenish colour, from which three dark red twigs sprout, all leafless. Several flowers stem at the end of each twig, green sinuous pedicels from which light brown sepals and one set of rich red petal arise. Petals are folded longitudinally, and a set of shorter and rounder inner dark red petals are present, from which a tubular structure arises, this has numerous long stamens at the end, reaching beyond the length of the folding red petals. A few flowers only show inner shorter dark red petals, and no outer folding red petal. Three buds are depicted on the left, showing small faint-red petals in oblong shape. Lower right: dissected view of four dark red, small and short petals (the inner petals), stamens structure, pistil on top of the pedicel, and one big, egg-shape red petal (the outer petal).