Erythrophleum chlorostachys

The 2-methylaminoethyl esters of the Erythrophleum alkaloids readily rearrange to the amides and this has in the past caused some confusion. The conditions for the isolation of the esters from Erythrophleum chlorostachys have now been carefully defined.40 3/3-Acetoxynorerythrosuamine (39) is a new highly cytotoxic alkaloid41 from this source. 

From another leguminous plant now classified in the Caesalpiniaceae, Erythrophleum chlorostachys, several alkaloids typified by norerythrostachamine (94) were isolated and their structures elucidated they occur as ethanolamine esters of diterpene acids, but readily rearrange to the corresponding amides [ 111J. These alkaloids are highly toxic and are responsible for cattle poisoning in the Darwin area. 

Species of the genus Erythrophleum (Fabaceae Caesal-pinioideae) are often highly toxic. As few as two leaves of Erythrophleum chlorostachys, a plant native to northern Australia, have been reported to be poisonous to a goat and have produced poisoning of goats, sheep, horses, and cattle. In Africa, Erythrophleum guineense has been used as a trial-by-ordeal plant. 

Loder J W, Nearn R H 1975 Structure of norerythrostachaldine, a cytotoxic alkaloid from Erythrophleum chlorostachys (Leguminosae). Aust J Chem 28 651-656... 

Most of the members of the genus Erythrophleum contain alkaloids (233), and many have proved toxic to animals. In particular, ironwood (E. chlorostachys) has caused poisoning in horses, cattle, sheep, and goats in tropical Australia, a few ounces of the leaves being sufficient to cause death (234). 

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