Erythrostemon gilliesii

Erythrostemon gilliesii grows to 1–4 m (3.3–13.1 ft), depending on rainfall. The leaves are bipinnate, 10–15 cm (4–6 in) long, bearing 3–10 pairs of pinnae, each with 6–10 pairs of leaflets 5–6 mm (0.20–0.24 in) long and 2–4 mm (0.079–0.157 in) broad. The flowers are borne in racemes up to 20 cm (8 in) long, each flower with five yellow petals with 10 long conspicuous red stamens. The pods are densely covered in short, red glandular hairs.

It is a striking ornamental plant native to South America, mainly Argentina and Uruguay. It is naturalized in Texas, and fairly common in the rest of the southwestern United States, where it is known as bird of paradise bush, desert bird of paradise, yellow bird of paradise, and barba de chivo.

Although it is a tropical plant adapted to dry climates, it also thrives in the climate of Avsa and neighboring islands in the south of Sea of Marmara in northwestern Turkey, where it is commonly known as Paşabıyığı (Pasabiyigi), Cennetkuşu ağacı (Cennetkusu agaci), which in Turkish means "bird of paradise tree," and Bodurakasya, which means "dwarf acacia". This species is also fairly common in the Karoo of South Africa.

Medicine men of peoples indigenous to the Amazon Rainforest used this plant and the similar Caesalpinia pulcherrima, which they called ayoowiri, for curing fever, sores, and cough. Four grams from the root is also said to induce abortion in the first trimester of pregnancy.[1] However, the seeds and the green seed pods of this plant are toxic, provoking severe vomiting and other abdominal symptoms.

Poisoning may occur with the seeds of this plant.[2]

• Weeds of California and Other Western States, Vol. 1, University of California, Agriculture and Natural Resources, Publication 3488, ISBN 978-1-879906-69-3, ISBN 1-879906-69-4

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Erythrostemon gilliesii.

• Jepson Manual Treatment
• USDA Plants Profile
• Photo gallery