Erythrina crista-galli - The cockspur coral tree is native to Argentina, Southern Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay, but can be found world wide. Its bright red flowers make it a desirable ornamental plant. The cockspur is known as “ceibo” in Spanish and “corticeira” in Portuguese. The tree is small, growing 5 to 8 meters in height and having a gnarled trunk with a diameter of 50 centimeters. In natural settings, it is often found along the banks of rivers and streams. The seeds are poisonous if ingested.
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Argentina, being a large country, had many indigenous people prior to the arrival of Europeans. The Diaguita, Guaraní, Kolla, Mapuche, Mocoví, Toba, and Wichí peoples are the more well-known of a list recognizing 35 individual groups. These groups consisted of basic and advanced hunter-gathers, successful farmers leading sedentary lives, or those flourishing by establishing thriving trading centers. Currently, only 1.5% of Argentina’s population ascribes themselves as Native American.
