Erythrina is described as “a producer of forage, green manure, medicine and wood for handicrafts; a support tree for valuable climbing crops a ‘shade’ tree for coffee, cacao or other crops; a living fencepost; and a spectacular ornamental.” It improves soil structure and water infiltration. Its leaves are also an important livestock feed. Elsewhere in sub-Saharan Africa, bark of Erythrina species is used traditionally as a protective against stress conditions.
The above information was credited to other sources. It seems to apply to the genus as a whole, rather than the Erythrina melanacantha.
In November 2021, the IUCN had no rating for Erythrina melanacantha.
Thulin, M (1993) Fabaceae in Flora of Somalia 1: 341-465
Plants trees, 4-20 m tall; trunks with corky bosses; branches bearing several curved prickles. Leaves petiolate; petioles often prickly; leaflets rounded-obovate, rhombic, or broadly elliptic, 2-9 cm long, 1.5-12 cm wide, lower surfaces finely stellate tomentose, at least when young, midribs often prickly, tips rounded to slightly emarginate. Calyces often split down one side but otherwise entire or nearly so, with very short, whitish to rusty brown stellate pubescence; banner petals 4-7.5 cm long, 3-4 times the length of the keels. Pods oblong, curved, (10)13-20 cm long, tomentose when young, later glabrous; seeds (2-)6-11.
Erythrina melanacantha has two subspecies in Somaliland and Somalia. The Flora of Somalia reports only Erythrina melanacantha subsp. somala from Somaliland.
Trees 4–20 m tall with deciduous leaves that produces red flowers, often while the tree is still leafless. Trunks with corky bosses; branches bearing curved prickles.
