Bauhinia
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 Bauhinia blakeana flower
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Bauhinia is a genus of more than 200 species of flowering plants in the subfamily Caesalpinioideae of the large flowering plant family Fabaceae, with a pantropical distribution. The genus was named after the Bauhin brothers, Swiss-French botanists.
Many species are widely planted in the tropics as "orchid trees", particularly in northern India, Vietnam and southeastern China. In the United States of America, the tree grows in Hawaii, coastal California, Texas, Louisiana, and Florida. Bauhinia blakeana is the floral emblem of Hong Kong, and a stylized orchid tree flower appears on the Hong Kong flag.
[edit] Description
Bauhinia trees typically reach a height of 6-12 m and their branches spread 3-6 m outwards. The lobed leaves usually are 10-15 cm across.
The five-petaled flowers are 7.5-12.5 cm diameter, generally in shades of red, pink, purple, orange, or yellow, and are often fragrant. The tree begins flowering in late winter and often continues to flower into early summer.
- Selected species
- Bauhinia acuminata L.
- Bauhinia aureifolia K.Larsen & S.S.Larsen
- Bauhinia bassacensis Pierre ex Gagnep.
- Bauhinia bidentata Jack
- Bauhinia binata Blanco
- Bauhinia blakeana
- Bauhinia bracteata (Graham ex Benth.) Baker
- Bauhinia championi
- Bauhinia corymbosa
- Bauhinia creaghi baker (Charles Vandeleur Creagh)
- Bauhinia curtisii Prain
- Bauhinia ferruginea Roxb.
- Bauhinia flagelliflora
- Bauhinia forficata
- Bauhinia galpinii
- Bauhinia glauca (Wall. ex Benth.)
- Bauhinia harmsiana Hosseus
- Bauhinia hirsuta Weinm.
- Bauhinia integrifolia Roxb.
- Bauhinia involucellata Kurz
- Bauhinia lakhonensis Gagnep.
- Bauhinia lunarioides (Anacacho Orchid Tree)
- Bauhinia malabarica Roxb.
- Bauhinia mombassae
- Bauhinia monandra Kurz
- Bauhinia nervosa (Wall. ex Benth.) Baker
- Bauhinia ornata Kurz
- Bauhinia penicilliloba Pierre ex Gagnep.
- Bauhinia perpurea
- Bauhinia pottsii G.Don
- Bauhinia pulla Craib.
- Bauhinia purpurea L.
- Bauhinia racemosa Lam.
- Bauhinia saccocalyx Pierre
- Bauhinia scandens L.
- Bauhinia seminarioi
- Bauhinia siamensis K.Larsen & S.S.Larsen
- Bauhinia similis Craib
- Bauhinia sirindhorniae K.Larsen & S.S.Larsen
- Bauhinia strychnifolia Craib
- Bauhinia strychnoidea Prain
- Bauhinia tomentosa L.
- Bauhinia vahlii
- Bauhinia variegata L.
- Bauhinia viridescens Desv.
- Bauhinia wallichii J.F.Macbr.
- Bauhinia winitii Craib
- Bauhinia yunnanensis Franch.
