Known in the Philippines as dapdap, the coral tree produces bright red flowers and was traditionally used to mark boundaries and seasons, and in folk medicine across the region.
This plate of Erythrina variegata belongs to Flora de Filipinas, the first comprehensive study of Philippine plants, compiled by the Augustinian botanist Manuel Blanco and first published in 1837. The illustrated edition produced in Manila between 1877 and 1883 rendered each plant as a colored lithograph by Filipino and Spanish artists. This plate records the plant's leaves, flowers, and seed pods with the scientific precision that defined the work. Original folios can be viewed at the San Agustin Museum in Intramuros.
This print preserves a botanical plate from one of the most important illustrated works in Philippine history.
Available as a fine art print
