Bauhinia

Bauhinia

Bauhinia divaricata flowers
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Rosids
Order:	Fabales
Family:	Fabaceae
Subfamily:	Caesalpinioideae
Tribe:	Cercideae^[1]
Genus:	Bauhinia L.^[2]
Type species
Bauhinia divaricata L.
Species
239–334; see text.
Synonyms^[2]^[3]
Alvesia Welw. Amaria S. Mutis ex Caldas Ariaria Cuervo Cansenia Raf. Cardenasia Rusby Caspareopsis Britton & Rose Casparia Kunth Mandarus Raf. Monoteles Raf. Pauletia Cav. Perlebia Mart. Schnella Raddi Telestria Raf.

Bauhinia /boʊˈhɪniə/^[4] is a genus of more than 500 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 India, Sri Lanka, Vietnam and southeastern China. Other common names include mountain ebony and kachnar (India and Pakistan). In the United States of America, the trees grow in Hawaii, coastal California, Texas, Louisiana, and Florida. Bauhinia ×blakeana is the floral emblem of Hong Kong—a stylized orchid tree flower appears on the Hong Kong flag and Hong Kong Airlines uses 'Bauhinia' as its radio callsign in air traffic communication.

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. Depending on the species, Bauhinia flowers are usually in magenta, mauve, pink or white hues with crimson highlights.

Cultivation

Propagation of Bauhinia species is from seeds or cuttings. They prefer acidic soils and do not tolerate salty conditions. Full sun exposure is preferred but they can be grown under partial sun. Generous watering is needed during summer; moderate moisture required in winter.

Bauhinia acuminata flower in Hyderabad, India.

Bauhinia racemosa flowers & fruits in Hyderabad, India.

Bauhinia tomentosa flowers in Hyderabad, India.

Species

Accepted species

Bauhinia comprises the following species:^[5]^[6]^[7]

Bauhinia accrescens Killip & J.F. Macbr.
Bauhinia acreana Harms
Bauhinia aculeata L.
- subsp. aculeata L.
- subsp. grandiflora (Juss.) Wunderlin
Bauhinia acuminata L.—Dwarf White Orchid Tree
Bauhinia acuruana Moric.
Bauhinia amambayensis Fortunato
Bauhinia ampla Span.
- var. ampla Span.
- var. schlechteri (Harms) K.Larsen & Sunarno
Bauhinia anatomica Link
Bauhinia andersonii K. Larsen & S.S. Larsen
Bauhinia andrieuxii Hemsl.
Bauhinia angulicaulis Harms
Bauhinia ankarafantsikae Du Puy & R. Rabev.
Bauhinia anomala Hassl.
Bauhinia apertilobata Merr. & F.P. Metcalf
Bauhinia arborea Wunderlin
Bauhinia argentinensis Burkart
- var. argentinensis Burkart
- var. megasiphon (Burkart) Fortunato
Bauhinia armata Otto
Bauhinia aromatica Ducke
Bauhinia augusti Harms
Bauhinia aurantiaca Bojer
Bauhinia aurea H. Lev.
Bauhinia aureifolia K. Larsen & S.S. Larsen—Gold Leaf Bauhinia
Bauhinia aureopunctata Ducke
Bauhinia baina J.F. Macbr.
Bauhinia bartlettii B. L. Turner
Bauhinia bartlettii B.L. Turner
Bauhinia bauhinioides (Mart.) J.F. Macbr.
Bauhinia beguinotii Cufod.
- var. beguinotii Cufod.
- var. gorgonae (Cowan) Wunderlin
Bauhinia bicolor D. Dietr.
Bauhinia bombaciflora Ducke
Bauhinia bowkeri Harv.
Bauhinia brachycalyx Ducke
Bauhinia brachycarpa Wall. ex Benth.
- var. brachycarpa Benth.
- var. cavaleriei (H.Lev.) T.Chen
- var. densiflora (Franch.) K.Larsen & S.S.Larsen
Bauhinia brasiliensis Vogel
Bauhinia brevicalyx Du Puy & R. Rabev.
Bauhinia brevipedicellata Jarvie
Bauhinia brevipes Vogel
Bauhinia burbidgei Stapf
Bauhinia burchellii Benth.
Bauhinia buscalionii Mattei
Bauhinia calciphila D.X. Zhang & T.C. Chen
Bauhinia calliandroides Rusby
Bauhinia caloneura Malme
Bauhinia calycina Gagnep.
Bauhinia campanulata S.S. Larsen
Bauhinia campestris Malme
Bauhinia candelabriformis Cowan
Bauhinia capuronii Du Puy & R. Rabev.
Bauhinia carcinophylla Merr.
Bauhinia cataholo Hoehne
Bauhinia catingae Harms
Bauhinia cercidifolia D.X. Zhang
Bauhinia chalcophylla L. Chen
Bauhinia chalkos Cowan
Bauhinia chapadensis Malme
Bauhinia chapulhuacania Wunderlin
Bauhinia cheilantha (Bong.) Steud.
Bauhinia cinnamomea DC.
Bauhinia claviflora L. Chen
Bauhinia clemensiorum Merr.
Bauhinia coclensis R. Torres
Bauhinia concinna Drake
Bauhinia concreta Craib
Bauhinia conwayi Rusby
Bauhinia cookii Britton & Rose
Bauhinia corniculata Benth.
Bauhinia coronata Benth.
Bauhinia coulteri J.F. Macbr.
Bauhinia cupulata Benth.
Bauhinia curvula Benth.
Bauhinia cuyabensis Steud.
Bauhinia damiaoshanensis T. Chen
Bauhinia decandra Du Puy & R. Rabev.
Bauhinia deserti (Britton & Rose) Lundell
Bauhinia dewitii K. Larsen & S.S. Larsen
Bauhinia didyma L. Chen
Bauhinia dimorphophylla Hoehne
Bauhinia dioscoreifolia L. Chen
Bauhinia dipetala Hemsl.
Bauhinia divaricata L.
Bauhinia dolichocalyx Merr.
Bauhinia dumosa Benth.
Bauhinia eilertsii Pulle
Bauhinia ellenbeckii Harms
Bauhinia endertii K. Larsen & S.S. Larsen
Bauhinia erythrocalyx Wunderlin
Bauhinia erythropoda Hayata
Bauhinia esquirolii Gagnep.
Bauhinia estrellensis Hassl.
Bauhinia excurrens Stapf
Bauhinia exellii Torre & Hillc.
Bauhinia fabrilis (de Wit) K. & S.S. Larsen
Bauhinia farek Desv.
Bauhinia flagelliflora Wunderlin
Bauhinia floribunda Desv.
Bauhinia forficata J.H.F.Link—Brazilian Orchid Tree
- subsp. forficata J.H.F.Link
- subsp. pruinosa (Vogel) Fortunato & Wunderlin
Bauhinia franckii K. Larsen & S.S. Larsen
Bauhinia fryxellii Wunderlin
Bauhinia fusconervis D. Dietr.
Bauhinia galpinii N.E. Br.—Red Orchid Tree
Bauhinia gardneri Benth.
Bauhinia geminata Vogel
Bauhinia gilesii F. Muell. & Bailey
Bauhinia glaziovii Taub.
Bauhinia godefroyi Gagnep.
Bauhinia goyazensis Harms
Bauhinia grandidieri Baill.
Bauhinia grandifolia D. Dietr.
Bauhinia grevei Drake
Bauhinia guentheri Harms
Bauhinia gypsicola McVaugh
Bauhinia hagenbeckii Harms
Bauhinia hainanensis Merr. & Chun
Bauhinia haughtii Wunderlin
Bauhinia havilandii Merr.
Bauhinia herrerae (Britton & Rose) Standl. & Steyerm.
Bauhinia hiemalis Malme
Bauhinia hildebrandtii Vatke
Bauhinia hirsuta Weinm.
Bauhinia hirsutiflora Vaz
Bauhinia hirsutissima Wunderlin
Bauhinia hirta Steud.
Bauhinia huberi Ducke
Bauhinia humilis Rusby
Bauhinia hypochrysa T. Chen
Bauhinia hypoglauca T. Chen
Bauhinia integerrima Benth.
Bauhinia involucrans Gagnep.
Bauhinia jenningsii P. Wilson
Bauhinia jucunda Brandegee
Bauhinia kalantha Harms
Bauhinia kingii Prain
Bauhinia kleiniana Burkart
Bauhinia kostermansii K. Larsen & S.S. Larsen
Bauhinia lakhonensis Gagnep.
Bauhinia lamprophylla Harms
Bauhinia leiopetala Benth.
Bauhinia leptantha Malme
Bauhinia leucantha Thulin
Bauhinia lingyuenensis T. Chen
Bauhinia longicuspis Benth.
- var. bicuspidata (Benth.) G.P.Lewis
- var. longicuspis Benth.
Bauhinia longifolia (Bong.) Steud.
Bauhinia longipedicellata Ducke
Bauhinia longistipes T. Chen
Bauhinia lorantha Gagnep.
Bauhinia macranthera Hemsl.
Bauhinia macrophylla Poir.
Bauhinia madagascariensis Desv.
Bauhinia malacotricha Harms
Bauhinia malacotrichoides Cowan
Bauhinia marginata D. Dietr.
Bauhinia martinensis J.F. Macbr.
Bauhinia membranacea Benth.
Bauhinia mendoncae Torre & Hillc.
Bauhinia miriamae R. Torres
Bauhinia mollis (Bong.) D. Dietr.
- var. mollis (Bong.) D. Dietr.
- var. notophila (Griseb.) Fortunato
Bauhinia mombassae Vatke
Bauhinia monandra Kurz—Pink Orchid Tree
Bauhinia morondavensis Du Puy & R. Rabev.
Bauhinia multinervia (Kunth) DC.
Bauhinia natalensis Hook.
Bauhinia nitida Benth.
Bauhinia obtusata Vogel
Bauhinia ombrophila Du Puy & R. Rabev.
Bauhinia ovata Vogel
Bauhinia ovatifolia T. Chen
Bauhinia oxysepala Gagnep.
Bauhinia pansamalana Donn. Sm.
Bauhinia paucinervata T. Chen
Bauhinia pauletia Pers.
Bauhinia pentandra (Bong.) Steud.
Bauhinia pervilleana Baill.
Bauhinia pes-caprae Cav.
Bauhinia petersiana Bolle
- subsp. macrantha (Oliv.) Brummitt & J.H.Ross
- subsp. petersiana Bolle
Bauhinia petiolata (DC.) Hook.
Bauhinia pichinchensis Wunderlin
Bauhinia picta (Kunth) DC.
Bauhinia pinheiroi Wunderlin
Bauhinia platypetala Benth.
Bauhinia platyphylla Benth.
Bauhinia podopetala Baker
Bauhinia pottsii G.Don
- var. decipiens (Craib) K.Larsen & S.S.Larsen
- var. mollissima (Prain) K.Larsen & S.S.Larsen
- var. pottsii G.Don
- var. subsessilis (Craib) de Wit
Bauhinia prainiana Craib
Bauhinia pringlei S. Watson
Bauhinia pulchella Benth.
Bauhinia pulla Craib
Bauhinia quinanensis T. Chen
Bauhinia racemosa Lam.
Bauhinia rahmatii Merr.
Bauhinia ramirezii Reynoso
Bauhinia ramosissima Hemsl.
Bauhinia rhodacantha Desv.
Bauhinia richardiana DC.
Bauhinia ridleyi Prain
Bauhinia roxburghiana Voigt
Bauhinia rubeleruziana Donn. Sm.
Bauhinia rubro-villosa K. Larsen & S.S. Larsen
Bauhinia rufescens Lam.
Bauhinia rusbyi Britton
Bauhinia rutenbergiana Vatke
Bauhinia saccocalyx Pierre
Bauhinia saigonensis Gagnep.
Bauhinia scal-Asimiae Sandwith
Bauhinia seleriana Harms
Bauhinia seminarioi Harms ex Eggers
Bauhinia semla Wunderlin
Bauhinia sessilifolia (DC.) Quinones
Bauhinia smilacifolia Benth.
Bauhinia somalensis Pic. Serm. & Roti Mich.
Bauhinia steenisii K. Larsen & S.S. Larsen
Bauhinia stenantha Diels
Bauhinia stenocardia Standl.
Bauhinia stenoloba (Britton & Killip) Wunderlin
Bauhinia subclavata Benth.
Bauhinia subrotundifolia Cav.
Bauhinia taitensis Taub.
Bauhinia tarapotensis Benth.
Bauhinia tenella Benth.
Bauhinia tessmannii Harms
Bauhinia tianlinensis T.C. Chen & D.X. Zhang
Bauhinia tomentosa L.
Bauhinia tumupasensis Rusby
Bauhinia ungulata L.
Bauhinia urbaniana Schinz
Bauhinia urocalyx Harms
Bauhinia uruguayensis Benth.
Bauhinia venustula T. Chen
Bauhinia verrucosa Vogel
Bauhinia vespertilio S. Moore
Bauhinia vestita (Benth.) J.F. Macbr.
Bauhinia viorna J.F. Macbr.
Bauhinia viridescens Desv.
- var. laui (Merr.) T.Chen
- var. viridescens Desv.
Bauhinia viscidula Harms
Bauhinia vulpina Rusby
Bauhinia weberbaueri Harms
Bauhinia wunderlinii R. Torres
Bauhinia wuzhengyii S. S. Larsen
Bauhinia xerophyta Du Puy & R. Rabev.

Species names with uncertain taxonomic status

The status of the following species is unresolved:^[7]

Bauhinia abyssinica A.Rich.
Bauhinia acuminata Bruce
Bauhinia aimouta Steud.
Bauhinia amatlana Wunderlin
Bauhinia andax DeWitt
Bauhinia angularis Harms ex Glaz.
Bauhinia angulata Vell.
Bauhinia articulata Oliv.
Bauhinia audax (de Wit) G.Cusset
Bauhinia aurea H. Lév.
Bauhinia ayabacensis Wunderlin
Bauhinia bacuria Buch.-Ham. ex Wall.
Bauhinia baueriana Steud.
Bauhinia benzoin Kotschy ex Schweinf.
Bauhinia bequaerti De Wild.
Bauhinia bryoniflora Franch.
Bauhinia burkeana Benth. ex Harv. & Sond.
Bauhinia cancara Buch.-Ham. ex Steud.
Bauhinia candelabriformis R.S. Cowan
Bauhinia choriophylla Vogel
Bauhinia cissoides Welw. ex Oliv.
Bauhinia compacta Regel
Bauhinia congesta—Anacacho Orchid Tree^[8]
Bauhinia cookii Rose
Bauhinia corymbosa Roxb. ex DC.
Bauhinia crocea Drake
Bauhinia cucullata Desv.
Bauhinia cumingiana (Benth.) Fern.-Vill.
Bauhinia damiaoshanensis T.C. Chen
Bauhinia depauperata Glaz.
Bauhinia dobbierum Rose
Bauhinia dubia G. Don
Bauhinia eriophora Ten.
Bauhinia esmeraldasensis Wunderlin
Bauhinia eximia Miq.
Bauhinia fabrilis (de Wit) K. Larsen & S.S. Larsen
Bauhinia farec Desv.
Bauhinia geniculata Wunderlin
Bauhinia grahami Steud.
Bauhinia grandifolia Steud.
Bauhinia herrerae (Britton & Rose) Standl. & Steyerm.
Bauhinia holzei F.Muell.
Bauhinia hostmanniana Miq.
Bauhinia hypochrysa T.C. Chen
Bauhinia hypoglauca Tang & F.T. Wang ex T.C. Chen
Bauhinia indica Ladd ex Loud
Bauhinia isopetala Griff.
Bauhinia jenningsii Paul G. Wilson
Bauhinia leichhardtii F.Muell.
Bauhinia lingyuenensis T.C. Chen
Bauhinia longiracemosa Hayata
Bauhinia longiseta Fróes
Bauhinia longistipes T.C. Chen
Bauhinia longistyla Benth.
Bauhinia maculata Ten.
Bauhinia maglesia Lindl.
Bauhinia malacotrichoides R.S. Cowan
Bauhinia marlothii Engl.
Bauhinia marowijnensis Kleinh.
Bauhinia montana Lanza
Bauhinia mucora Bolle
Bauhinia ovatifolia T.C. Chen
Bauhinia parkinsonii C.E.C.Fisch.
Bauhinia paucinervata T.C. Chen
Bauhinia persichii F.Muell.
Bauhinia pinnata Blanco
Bauhinia platisiliqua Steud.
Bauhinia platysiliqua Perr. ex DC.
Bauhinia polyacantha Steud.
Bauhinia polyantha Vogel
Bauhinia purpurea Wall.
Bauhinia pyrrhocarpa Hochst.
Bauhinia quinnanensis T.C.Chen
Bauhinia reniformis Royle ex Baker
Bauhinia rubescens Pers.
Bauhinia ruficarpa Desv.
Bauhinia scortechinii Prain ex King
Bauhinia sellowiana Vogel
Bauhinia siamensis K.Larsen & S.S.Larsen
Bauhinia sirindhorniae K.Larsen & S.Larsen
Bauhinia stenoscypha Baker
Bauhinia strychnoidea Prain ex King
Bauhinia subclavala Benth.
Bauhinia superba Steud.
Bauhinia tamarindacea Delile
Bauhinia tenuis Span.
Bauhinia teysmanniana Scheff.
Bauhinia timorensis Decne.
Bauhinia timoriana Steud.
Bauhinia timoriensis Baker
Bauhinia trichosepala (L.P.Queiroz) Wunderlin & Eilers
Bauhinia tuichiensis Cayola & A. Fuentes
Bauhinia umbriana Britton & Killip
Bauhinia vahlii Villar
Bauhinia venustula T.C. Chen
Bauhinia welwischii Oliv.

Hybrids

One hybrid is known:^[6]

Bauhinia ×blakeana S. T. Dunn (Bauhinia variegata × Phanera purpurea)—Hong Kong Orchid Tree

Segregate genera

Species in the genera Barklya, Gigasiphon, Lasiobema, Lysiphyllum, Phanera, Piliostigma, Schnella, and Tylosema are sometimes included in Bauhinia (sensu lato).

Gallery of Bauhinia racemosa

trunk in Hyderabad, India.
leaves & trunk in Hyderabad, India.
leaves & fruit pods in Hyderabad, India.
trunk in Hyderabad, India.
old & new leaves with flower buds in Hyderabad, India.
flowers & fruit pods in Hyderabad, India.
flowers & fruit pods in Hyderabad, India.
trunk in Hyderabad, India.

Gallery of Bauhinia tomentosa

in Hyderabad, India.
in Hyderabad, India.
in Hyderabad, India.
in Hyderabad, India.
in Panchkhal, Nepal
in Chennai, India

References

↑ Sinou C, Forest F, Lewis GP, Bruneau A. (2009). "The genus Bauhinia s.l. (Leguminosae): a phylogeny based on the plastid trnL–trnF region". Botany 87 (10): 947–960. doi:10.1139/B09-065.
↑ 2.0 2.1 "Genus: Bauhinia L.". Germplasm Resources Information Network. United States Department of Agriculture. 2007-03-29. Retrieved 2010-12-06.
↑ Wunderlin RP. (2010). "Reorganization of the Cercideae (Fabaceae: Caesalpinioideae)" (PDF). Phytoneuron 48: 1–5.
↑ Sunset Western Garden Book, 1995:606–607; OED: "Bauhinia"
↑ "ILDIS LegumeWeb entry for Bauhinia". International Legume Database & Information Service. Cardiff School of Computer Science & Informatics. Retrieved 8 May 2014.
↑ 6.0 6.1 USDA, ARS, National Genetic Resources Program. "GRIN species records of Bauhinia". Germplasm Resources Information Network—(GRIN) [Online Database]. National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
↑ 7.0 7.1 "The Plant List entry for Bauhinia". The Plant List. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and the Missouri Botanical Garden. 2013. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
↑ "Anacacho Orchid Tree - Bauhinia congesta". austintreeexperts.com. Retrieved 8 January 2015.

The Lovely Plants

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External links

"Bauhinia". Integrated Taxonomic Information System.

Dressler, S.; Schmidt, M. & Zizka, G. (2014). [http://www.africanplants.senckenberg.de/root/index.php?submitForm=true&page_id=77&searchTextMenue=Bauhinia&filterRegionIDs[]=6&filterRegionIDs[]=1&filterRegionIDs[]=2&filterRegionIDs[]=3&filterRegionIDs[]=5 "Bauhinia"]. African plants – a Photo Guide. Frankfurt/Main: Forschungsinstitut Senckenberg.