Bauhinia acuminata

Life-forms

Classification System: APG IV

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Regnum: Plantae
Cladus: Angiosperms
Cladus: Eudicots
Cladus: Core eudicots
Cladus: Rosids
Cladus: Eurosids I
Ordo: Fabales

Familia: Fabaceae
Subfamilia: Cercidoideae
Genus: Bauhinia
Species: Bauhinia acuminata
Name

Bauhinia acuminata L., 1753
Synonyms

Bauhinia linnaei Ali
Casparia acuminata (L.) Heynh.
Mandarus acuminata (L.) Raf.
Pauletia acuminata (L.) A.Schmitz

Homonyms

Bauhinia acuminata Vell. = Schnella macrostachya Raddi

Distribution
Native distribution areas:

Continental: Asia-Temperate
Regional: Indian subcontinent
Andaman Is., Assam, Bangladesh
Continental: Asia-Tropical
Regional: Southeastern Asia
Borneo, China South-Central, China Southeast, Jawa, Lesser Sunda Is., Philippines
Continental: Australasia
Regional: Australia
Northern Territory
Introduced into:
Cambodia, Dominican Republic, East Himalaya, India, Laos, Myanmar, Pakistan, Queensland, Sierra Leone, Solomon Is., Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam, Windward Is., Zaïre, Zimbabwe

References: Brummitt, R.K. 2001. TDWG – World Geographical Scheme for Recording Plant Distributions, 2nd Edition
References
Primary references

Linnaeus, C. 1753. Species plantarum, exhibentes plantas rite cognitas, ad genera relatas, cum differentiis specificis, nominibus trivialibus, synonymis selectis, locis natalibus, secundum systema sexuale digestas. Tomus I. Pp. [I–XII], 1–560. Impensis Laurentii Salvii, Holmiae [Stockholm]. BHL Reference page. : 375.

Links

Govaerts, R. et al. 2020. Bauhinia acuminata in Kew Science Plants of the World online. The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published online. Accessed: 2020 Sep 04. Reference page.
International Plant Names Index. 2020. Bauhinia acuminata. Published online. Accessed: Sep 04 2020.
Tropicos.org 2020. Bauhinia acuminata. Missouri Botanical Garden. Published online. Accessed: 04 Sep 2020.
Catalogue of Life: 2021 Annual Checklist
USDA, ARS, Germplasm Resources Information Network. Bauhinia acuminata in the Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN), U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service.

Vernacular names
தமிழ்: வெள்ளை மந்தாரை
తెలుగు: దేవకాంచనం
ไทย: กาหลง
中文: 白花洋蹄甲

Bauhinia acuminata is a species of flowering shrub native to tropical southeastern Asia. Common names include dwarf white bauhinia, white orchid-tree and snowy orchid-tree.[1] The exact native range is obscure due to extensive cultivation, but probably from Malaysia, Indonesia (Java, Borneo, Kalimantan, Lesser Sunda Islands), and the Philippines.[2]

It grows two to three meters tall. Like the other Bauhinia species, the leaves are bilobed, shaped like an ox hoof; they are 6 to 15 centimetres (2+1⁄4 to 6 in) long and broad, with the apical cleft up to 5 centimetres (2 in) deep; the petiole is 1.5 to 4 centimetres (1⁄2 to 1+1⁄2 in) long. The flowers are fragrant, 8 to 12 centimetres (3+1⁄4 to 4+3⁄4 in) in diameter, with five white petals, ten yellow-tipped stamens and a green stigma. The fruit is a pod 7.5 to 15 centimetres (3 to 6 in) long and 1.5 to 1.8 centimetres (1⁄2 to 3⁄4 in) broad. The species occurs in deciduous forests and scrub.[1][3][4]

It is widely cultivated throughout the tropics as an ornamental plant. It may be found as an escape from cultivation in some areas, and has become naturalised on the Cape York Peninsula, Australia.[1]

The plant has a number of ethnobotanical uses around the world. The roots are used by the Javanese to treat cough and cold and in India the leaves and bark are used to treat asthma.[5] It is also used in many culinary dishes of Odisha

References

Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk: Bauhinia acuminata
"Bauhinia acuminata". Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN). Agricultural Research Service (ARS), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Retrieved 16 January 2018.
Flowers of India: White Orchid Tree
Huxley, A., ed. (1992). New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. Macmillan ISBN 0-333-47494-5.
"NParks | Bauhinia acuminata". www.nparks.gov.sg. Retrieved 2022-02-14.