16. Erythrina velutina Willdenow (1801: 426) . (Fig. 3g)

Trees, branches tomentose, aculeate. Nectary absent. Stipules lateral, linear. Leaves imparipinnate, 3–foliolate, leaflets opposite, ovate, venation actinodromous, translucid punctuation absent. Inflorescence pseudoraceme, axillary. Flowers pedicillate, zygomorphic, diplostemonous; calyx gamosepalous, sepals 5, corolla dialypetalous, papilionaceous, red, petals 5; androecium diadelphous, heterodinamous, anthers longitudinal; ovary superior, sessile, pauciovulate. Fruit legume, sessile, linear, cylindric, plane, margin constricted, epicarp glabrous, brown. Seeds reniform, turgid, coat red, hilum central.

Examined material:— BRAZIL. Paraíba: Maturéia, Pico do Jabre, 800 m elev., 02 December 2019, fl., Aureliana Gomes 457 (JPB) .

Distribution and ecology:— commonly known as mulungu, it is distributed in the group of dry forests in South America. In Brazil, the species is found in the Northeast (AL, BA, CE, PB, PE, PI, RN, SE) and Southeast (MG), associated with the Caatinga and Cerrado domains (BFG 2018; Queiroz 2009).

Phenology:— Registered with flowers in December.

Taxonomic discussion:— Erythrina velutina can be recognized, mainly, by the arboreal habit, aculeate branches, trifoliolate leaves, inflorescence in pseudoraceme, pedicelled flowers, red corolla and by the seeds with red coat. In the study area, it was the only tree species of Papilionoideae with armed branches and red flowers and seeds.