Erythrina zeyheri

Species of legume

Ploughbreaker

Scientific classification
Kingdom:  | Plantae
Clade:  | Tracheophytes
Clade:  | Angiosperms
Clade:  | Eudicots
Clade:  | Rosids
Order:  | Fabales
Family:  | Fabaceae
Subfamily:  | Faboideae
Genus:  | Erythrina
Species:  |

E. zeyheri

Binomial name
Erythrina zeyheri

Harv.

Erythrina zeyheri, commonly known as the ploughbreaker, is a deciduous, geoxylic subshrub and member of the Fabaceae, which is endemic to southern Africa. It grows no more than 60 cm tall[1] and occurs naturally in the higher altitude grasslands of South Africa's central plateau, and that of adjacent Lesotho.[2] They favour deep clay soil in the vicinity of creeks and marshes, and often form colonies.[1] Its specific name commemorates the 19th century botanist, Karl Zeyher.

## Description[edit]

It is a geoxylic plant, sometimes called an "underground tree",[3] that produces annual stems, some 50 to 60 cm long.[4] It has glabrous, leathery, trifoliolate leaves with large leaflets. The rachis and main leaf venation, which are prominently raised below, are armed with recurved spines on both leaf surfaces.[5] The petioles and stems are likewise armed to discourage browsers. The shoots and leaves are deciduous, dying away during harsh highveld winters,[1] when the plant survives as an extensive woody, tuberous rootstock.

The upright inflorescences appear in summer, with the leaves,[4] from October to January.[1] The drooping scarlet, or rarely white flowers,[5] are capped by a red calyxes. Their fruit are smooth black pods when mature, each containing a few large (1.0 to 1.7 cm long) seeds.[4] These are hard and orange-red in colour.[1][5]

## Foodplant[edit]

It is a foodplant for the moth Terastia margaritis.[6]

## Gallery[edit]

* Abaxial leaf surface armed with recurved spines on main veins

* The perennial tuberous rootstock

* Green pods and seed

## References[edit]

1. ^ a b c d e Elliot Lithudzha; K Behr. "Erythrina zeyheri". PlantZAfrica.com. South African National Biodiversity Institute. Retrieved 19 December 2012.
2. ^ Reports of its occurrence in Botswana and Zimbabwe are suspect, see: "Erythrina latissima E. Mey. (Notes)". Flora Zambesiaca. kew.org. Retrieved 21 December 2012.
3. ^ Barras, Colin. "Why some trees evolved to live underground". BBC. Retrieved 27 April 2017.
4. ^ a b c Schmidt, Ernst; Lötter, Mervyn; McCleland, Warren (2002). Trees and shrubs of Mpumalanga and Kruger National Park. Johannesburg: Jacana Media. p. 488\. ISBN 9781919777306.
5. ^ a b c van Wyk, Braam; et al. (1988). Veldgids tot die Veldblomme van die Witwatersrand en Pretoria. Cape Town: Struik. pp. 206–207. ISBN 0-86977-815-3.
6. ^ Goff, R. "Terastia margaritis". African Moths. Retrieved 21 December 2012.

## External links[edit]

* Colony of Erythrina zeyheri after a grass-fire, Operation wildflower

Media related to Erythrina zeyheri at Wikimedia Commons

Taxon identifiers|

* Wikidata: Q1651786
* Wikispecies: Erythrina zeyheri
* APDB: 63802
* CoL: 3BDFH
* EoL: 644571
* GBIF: 5349495
* GRIN: 15775
* iNaturalist: 553421
* IPNI: 494630-1
* IRMNG: 10582031
* NCBI: 347911
* Open Tree of Life: 284186
* Plant List: ild-2741
* POWO: urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:494630-1
* SANBI: 341-31
* Tropicos: 13030301
* WFO: wfo-0000181259

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