Bauhinia variegata
Description
Tree up to 15 m tall.
Leaves: stipules minute, 1-2 mm, early caducous; petioles puberulous to glabrous, 3-4 cm; lamina broadly ovate to circular, often broader than long, 6-16 cm diam.; 11-13-nerved; bifid 1/4-1/3 with broad sinus; tip of lobes broadly rounded, base cordate; upper surface glabrous, lower glaucous and when full grown glabrous.
Inflorescences: flowers in very short, few-flowered racemes from the older twigs, axis tomentose; bracts triangular, very small, early caducous; bracteoles similar, inserted below the middle of the pedicel; pedicel 3-5 mm.
Petals somewhat unequal, white or violet, obovate, 4-5.5 cm long with a short claw, margin often crisped.
Fertile stamens 5, unequal; filaments 2-4 cm; anthers 6-7 mm, elliptic; staminodes 5, capillary, 0.5-1 cm long.
Ovary pubescent, particularly along the sutures, c. 2 cm, stipe pubescent, 1.5 cm; style short; stigma small, capitate.
Seeds 10-25, flat, orbicular, 10-15 mm diam.
Distribution
Asia-Tropical: Laos (Laos present), Burma present, N Thailand present, N Vietnam present, S China present
S China, Burma, N Thailand, Laos and N Vietnam. Widely cultivated in the tropics, also in Malesia.
Uses
The flowers are edible and in several places in continental E Asia also used for medical purposes. In the Malesian area only known as an ornamental tree.
Citation
DC. 1825 – In: Prodr.: 514
Kurz 1877 – In: Fl. Burma: 397
Backer & Bakh. f. 1964 – In: Fl. Java: 532
Prain 1897 – In: J. As. Soc. Beng.: 550
Willd. 1799 – In: Sp. Pl.: 510
DC. 1825 – In: Prodr.: 513
Roxb. 1832 – In: Fl. Ind., ed. Carey: 319
Wight & Arn. 1834: Prodr.: 296
Baker 1878 – In: Hook.f., Fl. Brit. India 2: 284
Craib 1928 – In: Fl. Siam. Enum.: 531
Larsen & Larsen 1984: p. 11. – In: Fl. Thailand: f. 1/4-5
Larsen & Larsen 1972 – In: Nat. Hist. Bull. Siam Soc.: 262
Wunderlin, Larsen & Larsen 1987 – In: Biol. Skr. Dan. Vid. Selsk.: 15
Saldanha 1985 – In: Fl. Karnataka: 378
Gagnep. 1913 – In: Fl. Indo-Chine: 145
Rudd 1991 – In: Fl. Ceylon: 43.
Miq. 1855 – In: Fl. Ind. Bat.: 60.
Backer 1911: Schoolfl. Java: 416
Ho 1970: p. 813. – In: Ulus. Fl. S. Vietnam, ed. 2: f. 2052
Corner 1952: Wayside Trees, ed. 2: 383.
Corner 1940: Wayside Trees: 382
Burm.f. 1768: Fl. Ind.: 94
Hara 1979: Enum. Pl. Nepal: 109
Roxb. 1832 – In: Fl. Ind., ed. Carey: 319
Zoll. 1846 – In: Nat. Geneesk. Arch. Neerl. Indie: 69
Corner 1952: Wayside Trees, ed. 2: 382
de Wit 1956 – In: Reinwardtia: 411
Hassk. 1848: Pl. Jav. Rar.: 409
Roxb. 1874 – In: Fl. Ind.: 344.
Willd. 1759 – In: Sp. Pl.: 54
Bamber 1916: Fl. Punjab: 22
Larsen & Larsen 1980: Fl. Camb., Laos & Vietnam: 155: pl. 26/4-7