Dwarf Coral Tree

Erythrina humeana, commonly known as the dwarf coral tree, dwarf erythrina or Natal coral tree, is an ornamental tree native to South Africa. Wikipedia's article on the tree itself is very short and gives nothing more than its common names and a gallery of its inflorescence, flowers, seed pods and leaves. Its only recorded use in this entry comes from the article on muti, the traditional medicine of southern Africa. There it is one of the plants the Xhosa of the Eastern Cape use as isicakathi for pre-natal and post-natal care: the bark is burned and the powder is applied to the baby to heal the umbilical cord. The muti article says the plants grouped as isicakathi differ between districts of the Eastern Cape. This entry records only that single use and the tree's names, because no other source was read.