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Bauhinia variegata L.

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Vernacular name: State flower of Bihar (India)

Assamese: Kotora, Kurol

Bengali: Raktakanchan

English: White-Purple Orchid Tree, White Orchid Tree, Orchid Tree, Varigated Bauhinia

Hindi: Kachnar

Kannada: Risinantige, Ayata, Bilikanjivala, Irkubalitua

Khasi: Dieng long, Dieng tharlong

Malayalam: Vau-favang, Vaube, Chovanna-mandaru, Chuvanna-mandaram

Manipuri: Chingthrao

Marathi Kanaraj, Kanchan, Kavidara, Rakta-kanchan

Mizo: Vau-favang, Vaube, Vaufawang

Nepali: Takki, Koeralo

Odiya: Kachan

Sanskrit: Ashmantaka, Asphota, Chamarika

Tamil: Mandharai

Telugu: Bodanta, Daevakanchanamu

Taxonomic Hierarchy

Kingdom: Plantae – plantes, Planta, Vegetal, plants

Subkingdom: Viridiplantae

Infrakingdom: Streptophyta – land plants

Superdivision: Embryophyta

Division: Tracheophyta – vascular plants, tracheophytes

Subdivision: Spermatophytina – spermatophytes, seed plants, phanérogames

Class: Magnoliopsida

Superorder: Rosanae

Order: Fabales

Family: Fabaceae – peas, legumes (Syn. Leguminosae, Acaciaceae, Aspalathaceae, Astragalaceae, Bauhiniaceae, Caesalpiniaceae, Cassiaceae, Ceratoniaceae, Ciceraceae, Coronillaceae, Dalbergiaceae, Daleaceae, Detariaceae, Galedupaceae, Geoffroeaceae, Hedysaraceae, Inocarpaceae, Lotaceae, Mimosaceae, Papilionaceae, Phaseolaceae, Swartziaceae, Tamarindaceae, Trifoliaceae, Viciaceae)

Genus: Bauhinia L. – bauhinia

Species: Bauhinia variegata L. – mountain ebony, Buddhist bauhinia, butterfly tree, orchid tree, purple orchid tree.

Habitat, distribution: India. Sub-Himalayan tracts, Dry forests. India (Assam, Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal), China, Myanmar, Nepal and Pakistan; widely cultivated in tropics.

Habit: This is a beautiful white variety of the more commonly seen Orchid Tree which has purple-varigated flowers. The flowers have four pure-white petals and one variegated deep purple. Orchid tree is closely related to peacock flower and to the tree many consider the world's most beautiful, the royal poinciana - and it shows! Orchid tree is staggeringly beautiful when in bloom - and it blooms for several months! Orchid tree grows 20-40 feet tall and 10-20 feet wide with a spreading crown of briefly deciduous leaves which are 4-6 in across and rounded with lobed ends and heart shaped bases. The leaves are shaped a little like a cow's hoof.

Flowering season: February-April. The flowers often make their first appearance in late winter while the tree is bare of leaves, and flowering lasts until early summer.

Propagation: Seeds, grafting

Parts used: Root, bark

Phytochemical ConstituentsBeta-sitosterol; Flavanone glycoside; Flavonoids; Hentriacontane; Kaempferol-3-galactoside; Kaempferol-3-rhamnoglucoside; Lupeol; Octacosanol; Stigmasterol;

Pharmacological actionsAgglutination; Anthelminthic; Antibacterial; Antifungal; Antipyretic; Antitumour; Astringent; Carminative; CNS stimulant; Hypotriglyceridemic; Laxative; Scrofula;

Medicinal usesDermatosis; Diarrhoea; Dysentery; Dyspepsia; Flatulence; Fungus; Goiter; Haematuria; High cholesterol; High triglycerides; Hypertension; Menorrhagia; Obesity; Piles; Tumour; Worm;

Other uses: Cultivated as an ornamental plant. Wood is used in construction of buildings and for making agricultural implements. The plant yields gum. Bark is used for dyeing and tanning. Leaves are good fodder. Flowers are edible as potherb and also made into pickles.

Dosage and administration: Stem bark 20 - 30 gm for decoction.

Adverse reactions: No known information.

References

Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia Committee, 1999, “The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India, Part I, Volume I,” New Delhi, India: Government of India, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Department of Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy (AYUSH). [Web Reference]

Ranjan V., “Bihar,” Botanical Survey of India, C.G.O. Complex, Salt Lake City, Kolkata. [Web Reference] assessed on 22/03/2017

ITIS, 2017, “Bauhinia variegate L.,” Integrated Taxonomic Information System on-line database, March 1, 2017. [Web Reference]

Joy P.P., Thomas J., Mathew S. and Skaria B.P., 1998, “Medicinal Plants,” Published by Kerala Agricultural University, Kerala, India.

Khare C.P., 2008, “Indian Medicinal Plants - an Illustrated Dictionary,” Published by Springer Science + Business Media, LLC.

Krishnamoorthy V., Nagappan P., Sereen A. K. and Rajendran R., 2014, “Preliminary Phytochemical Screening of the fruit rind of Garcinia cambogia and leaves of Bauhinia variegate A Comparative study,” Int. J. Curr. Microbiol. App. Sci; 3(5): 479-486. [Web Reference]

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