Bauhinia purpurea

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Not to be confused with Hong Kong Orchid tree, Bauhinia blakeana.
Bauhinia purpurea
Flower at Kolkata, West Bengal, India.
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Rosids
Order: Fabales
Family: Leguminosae
Genus: Bauhinia
Species: B. purpurea
Binomial name
Bauhinia purpurea
L.
Synonyms[1]
  • Bauhinia castrata Blanco
  • Bauhinia coromandeliana DC.
  • Bauhinia platyphylla Zipp. ex Span.
  • Bauhinia rosea Corner
  • Bauhinia triandra Roxb.
  • Bauhinia violacea Corner
  • Caspareopsis purpurea (L.) Pittier
  • Phanera purpurea (L.) Benth.

Bauhinia purpurea is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae, native to South China (which includes Hong Kong) and Southeast Asia. Common names include orchid tree,[2] Hong Kong orchid tree,[citation needed] purple bauhinia,[2] camel's foot,[2] butterfly tree,[2] and Hawaiian orchid tree.[citation needed]

Description

Bauhinia purpurea is a small to medium-size deciduous tree growing to 17 feet (5.2 m) tall. The leaves are 10–20 centimetres (3.9–7.9 in) long and broad, rounded, and bilobed at the base and apex. The flowers are conspicuous, pink, and fragrant, with five petals. The fruit is a pod 30 centimetres (12 in) long, containing 12 to 16 seeds. Leaves are alternate.

Medicinal uses

Bauhinia purpurea flower (Kaniar) in Hyderabad, India.

Bauhinia purpurea is used in several traditional medicine systems to treat various diseases.[citation needed] It is used as a component in fat burners along with Bacopa monnieri.[citation needed]

Biological activities

Bauhinia purpurea may possess antibacterial, antidiabetic, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, anti-diarrheal, anticancerous, nephroprotective, and thyroid hormone-regulating activity.[3] Water extracts of the leaves of Bauhinia purpurea have been shown to have anti-ulcer activity in animals in the 'ethanol-induced gastric ulcer model'. Water extracts did not show any signs of toxicity when given to rats orally at doses up to 5000 mg/kg.[4]

Chemistry

A wide range of chemical compounds have been isolated from Bauhinia purpurea including 5,6-dihydroxy-7-methoxyflavone 6-O-β-D-xylopyranoside, bis [3',4'-dihydroxy-6-methoxy-7,8-furano-5',6'-mono-methylalloxy]-5-C-5-biflavonyl and (4'-hydroxy-7-methyl 3-C-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl)-5-C-5-(4'-hydroxy-7-methyl-3-C-α-D-glucopyranosyl) bioflavonoid, bibenzyls, dibenzoxepins, mixture of phytol fatty esters, lutein, β-sitosterol, isoquercitin and astragalin.[3]

Cultivation

In the United States of America, the tree grows in Hawaii, coastal California, southern Texas, and southwest Florida.

Bauhinia blakeana is usually propagated by grafting it onto B. purpurea stems.

References

  1. ↑ "The Plant List: A Working List of All Plant Species". 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 "USDA GRIN Taxonomy". 
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Bauhinia purpurea linn.: A review of its ethnobotany, phytochemical and pharmacological profile Kumar T., Chandrashekar K.S. Research Journal of Medicinal Plant 2011 5:4 (420-431)
  4. ↑ Zakaria, Z. A., E. E. Abdul Hisam, et al. (2011). "In vivo antiulcer activity of the aqueous extract of Bauhinia purpurea leaf." Journal of Ethnopharmacology 137(2): 1047-1054.

External links

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