Bauhinia variegata
Details Top
| Internal ID | UUID643fdefa0e3e6523062111 |
| Scientific name | Bauhinia variegata |
| Authority | L. |
| First published in | Sp. Pl.: 375 (1753) |
Ethnobotanical Use Top
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Important notice
- Content in this section summarizes historical and cultural records. It is not medical advice.
- Do not use plants for self-treatment. Safety, efficacy, and appropriate use are not established here.
- Plant identification errors, allergies, and interactions can cause harm. Consult qualified professionals for health questions.
- Local legality and regulatory status may vary; verify before collecting, processing, or selling plant materials.
Among the tribal peoples of Gujarat, India, a strong decoction of dried bark of Bauhinia variegata has been recorded as a treatment for dysentery and severe diarrhoea (Mishra et al., 2018). In the Himalayan foothills of Nepal, Bhattarai et al. (2015) describe a gentle leaf‑tea prepared from fresh or dried leaves that is drunk to soothe cough and bronchial irritation. Sri Lankan traditional practitioners apply a poultice of fresh flower buds directly to skin wounds and inflamed lesions, a practice documented by Fernando et al. (2012). These three reports show that the plant is used in distinctly different preparations—decoction, infusion, and poultice—across distinct cultural settings.
A practical example can be drawn from the Gujarati bark decoction. Place 15–20 g of air‑dried bark in 500 ml of water, bring to a gentle boil, and simmer for 15–20 minutes. Strain the liquid and cool to a lukewarm temperature; take 150 ml twice daily until symptoms ease. The same preparation should not be used by pregnant or nursing women, children under twelve, or individuals with known hypersensitivity to the plant.
The bark contains a high proportion of hydrolyzable tannins and flavonoids such as kaempferol and quercetin, along with phenolic acids like gallic acid. The tannins provide the astringent action that helps reduce intestinal secretions, while the flavonoids contribute antimicrobial activity that can support the anti‑diarrhoeal effect of the decoction.
Contemporary research in India (Singh et al., 2021) has shown that extracts of Bauhinia variegata inhibit several pathogenic gut bacteria in laboratory assays, and standardized bark decoctions are now sold under the name “Kachnar bark tea” in regional herbal shops. The plant therefore remains a living part of both traditional practice and emerging scientific investigation.
General Uses Top
Suggest a correction!Uses
Common products:
Flowers (buds and opened blossoms) are used as a seasonal vegetable in parts of South and Southeast Asia; common preparations include frying (bhajis/fritters), sautéing, or adding to curries and pickles. The wood is valued for small craft items and carving where durability and fine grain are required. Bark fibers are used locally for cordage; leaves sometimes as wrappers for food.
Industrial and craft applications:
The reddish-brown to chocolate-brown timber is used for small turned or carved items such as tool handles, walking sticks, picture frames, and craftwork; it is valued for its good working properties and fine finish. Bark fiber (bast) is employed for coarse twine and cordage. Photographic dye-sensitization has been demonstrated with extracts, indicating potential in imaging applications as a spectral sensitizer.
Food and beverages (non-medicinal):
Mature flowers (fresh or blanched) are eaten as a vegetable; buds may be pickled. The starch-rich mature seeds are cooked and consumed (roasted or boiled) after proper processing to reduce bitterness.
Colorants and tanning:
A brown natural dye can be obtained from leaves or bark for protein fibers (silk/wool) using appropriate mordants. Hydrolyzable tannins reported in bark are consistent with utility in vegetable tanning; however, industrial-scale leather tanning by Bauhinia variegata is not documented.
Wood and fiber:
Workability: turns and carves cleanly to a smooth surface; holds detail well. Bark yields coarse bast fibers suitable for cordage. Texture: generally fine to medium; density typically medium (approx. 550–650 kg/m³ at 12% moisture). Color: heartwood reddish-brown to chocolate-brown with lighter sapwood.
Fragrance and cosmetics:
Floral fragrance has been reported; no specific commercial extraction is documented.
Properties relevant to use:
Wood hardness: medium (typically 3.5–5.0 kN Janka when medium-density). Wood moisture: equilibrates near 8–12% EMC under interior conditions. Bark tannins: hydrolyzable (gallotannins); leaves and flowers provide anthocyanin-based pigments; seeds contain storage starch.
Standards and regulation:
No specific material standards or regulatory frameworks identified for Bauhinia variegata timber, fiber, or plant products; general food safety and labeling norms apply to any use as food.
Sustainability and sourcing:
Wild harvesting may pressure local populations; cultivation is preferred for ornamental and floral use. Where bark or roots are collected, sustainable harvesting practices and replanting are recommended.
Synonyms Top
| Scientific name | Authority | First published in |
|---|---|---|
| Phanera variegata | (L.) Benth. | F.A.W.Miquel, Pl. Jungh.: 262 (1852) |
| Bauhinia variegata var. candida | (Roxb.) Corner | Wayside Trees Mal. 383. 1940 [Jul 1940] |
| Perlebia variegata | (L.) A.Schmitz | Bull. Jard. Bot. Natl. Belg.43: 386 (1973) |
| Bauhinia variegata var. purpurascens | Voigt | Hort. Suburb. Calcutt. : 253 (1845) |
Common names Top
Add a new one! Suggest a correction!| Language | Common/alternative name |
|---|---|
| English | camel's foot tree |
| English | mountain ebony |
| English | orchid tree |
| Arabic | بوهينيا |
| Arabic | خف الجمل |
| Arabic | بوهينيا مبرقشة |
| Arabic | بوهينيا غير متجانسة اللون |
| Assamese | বগা কাঞ্চন |
| Assamese | গোলাপী কাঞ্চন |
| Bengali | রক্তকাঞ্চন |
| Bengali | গোলাপী কাঞ্চন |
| Czech | bauhinie pestrá |
| Czech | bauhínie pestrá |
| dag | baɣiŋgu maŋli |
| Finnish | kirjobauhinia |
| frr | orchideenbuum |
| Hebrew | בוהיניה מגוונת |
| Hindi | कचनार |
| Hungarian | közönséges orchideafa |
| Japanese | フイリソシンカ |
| Malayalam | കോവിദാരം |
| Marathi | कांचन |
| Burmese | ဘွဲ့ချဉ်ပင် |
| Nepali | कोइरालो |
| Oriya | କାଞ୍ଚନ |
| Punjabi | ਕਚਨਾਰ |
| Punjab | کچنار |
| Portuguese | casco-de-vaca-lilás |
| Portuguese | unha-de-vaca-lilás |
| Portuguese | casco-de-vaca lilás |
| sa | मन्दारः |
| Swedish | orkidébauhinia |
| Tamil | மலையாத்தி |
| tcy | ಮಂದಾರ |
| Thai | เสี้ยวดอกขาว |
| Urdu | کچنار |
| Vietnamese | ban trắng |
| Chinese | 白花羊紫荊 |
| Chinese | 白花树 |
| Chinese | 洋紫荆 |
| Chinese | 红紫荆 |
| Chinese | 宮粉羊蹄甲 |
| Chinese | 羊蹄甲树皮 |
| Chinese | 白花洋紫荊 |
| Chinese | 红花紫荆 |
| Chinese | 弯叶树 |
| Chinese | 宫粉羊蹄甲 |
| Chinese | 老白花 |
| Chinese | 羊蹄甲 |
| Chinese | 羊蹄甲叶 |
Varieties (abbr. var.) Top
Add a new one! Suggest a correction!| Name | Authority | First published in |
|---|---|---|
| Bauhinia variegata var. candida | Voigt | Hort. Suburb. Calcutt.: 253 (1845) |
| Bauhinia variegata var. variegata | L. | Unknown |
Germination/Propagation Top
Suggest a correction or add new data!
No germination or propagation data was added yet.
Distribution (via POWO/KEW) Top
Legend for the distribution data:
- Doubtful data
- Extinct
- Introduced
- Native
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Africa click to expand
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East Tropical Africa
- Kenya
- Tanzania
- Uganda
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Macaronesia
- Madeira
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Northeast Tropical Africa
- Ethiopia
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South Tropical Africa
- Malawi
- Mozambique
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
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Southern Africa
- Kwazulu-Natal
- Northern Provinces
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West Tropical Africa
- Ghana
- Nigeria
- Sierra Leone
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West-central Tropical Africa
- Zaïre
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Western Indian Ocean
- Comoros
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East Tropical Africa
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Asia-temperate click to expand
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China
- China South-central
- China Southeast
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Western Asia
- East Aegean Islands
- Iraq
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China
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Asia-tropical click to expand
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Indian Subcontinent
- Assam
- Bangladesh
- East Himalaya
- India
- Nepal
- Pakistan
- Sri Lanka
- West Himalaya
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Indo-China
- Cambodia
- Laos
- Myanmar
- Thailand
- Vietnam
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Malesia
- Malaya
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Papuasia
- New Guinea
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Indian Subcontinent
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Australasia click to expand
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Australia
- Queensland
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Australia
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Northern America click to expand
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Mexico
- Mexico Central
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South-central U.S.A.
- Texas
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Southeastern U.S.A.
- Florida
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Southwestern U.S.A.
- California
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Mexico
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Pacific click to expand
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Northwestern Pacific
- Caroline Islands
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South-central Pacific
- Society Islands
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Southwestern Pacific
- New Caledonia
- Vanuatu
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Northwestern Pacific
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Southern America click to expand
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Caribbean
- Bahamas
- Cuba
- Dominican Republic
- Haiti
- Leeward Islands
- Puerto Rico
- Trinidad-Tobago
- Venezuelan Antilles
- Windward Islands
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Central America
- Panamá
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Northern South America
- Venezuela
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Southern South America
- Argentina Northeast
- Argentina Northwest
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Western South America
- Bolivia
- Colombia
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Caribbean
Links to other databases Top
Suggest others/fix!| Database | ID/link to page |
|---|---|
| World Flora Online | wfo-0000213330 |
| UNII | B11919964F |
| Florida Plant Atlas | 1492 |
| USDA Plants | BAVA |
| Tropicos | 13027460 |
| INPN | 447028 |
| KEW | urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:481756-1 |
| The Plant List | ild-840 |
| PFAF | Bauhinia variegata |
| NCBI Taxonomy | 167791 |
| Nature Serve | 2.159495 |
| IUCN Red List | 19893142 |
| IPNI | 481756-1 |
| iNaturalist | 68225 |
| GBIF | 2953251 |
| Freebase | /m/08pj5j |
| EPPO | BAUVA |
| EOL | 702916 |
| Calflora (Californian flora) | 9036 |
| USDA GRIN | 6602 |
| Wikipedia | Bauhinia_variegata |
| Open Tree Of Life | 618027 |
Genomes (via NCBI) Top
Below is displayed the reference genome only!
If you wish to browse all genomes for this plant click here.
If you wish to browse all genomes for this plant click here.
| Accession | Assembly | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Level | Submitter | Released | Coverage | Size | |
| GCA_022379115.2 | ASM2237911v2 | Chromosome | Sun Yat-sen University | 2022-06-06 | 536 | 311.25 Mb |
Scientific Literature Top
Below are displayed the latest 15 articles published in PMC (PubMed Central®) and other sources (DOI number only)!
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If you wish to see all the related articles click here.
Phytochemical Profile Top
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Below are displayed the proven (via scientific papers) natural compounds!
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| Name | PubChem ID | Canonical SMILES | MW | Found in | Proof |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| > Organoheterocyclic compounds / Benzoxepines / Dibenzoxepines | |||||
| 8,9-Dimethoxy-7-methyl-10,11-dihydrodibenzo[b,f]oxepine-1,6-diol | 641747 | Click to see | 302.32 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(03)00416-3 |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / Flavones / Flavonols | |||||
| Kaempferol | 5280863 | Click to see | 286.24 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1002/PTR.2448 |
| Rhamnetin | 5281691 | Click to see | 316.26 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(03)00416-3 |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / Flavonoid glycosides / Flavonoid O-glycosides | |||||
| (2S)-2-[4-[(2S,3S,4S,5S,6R)-3,4-dihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)-5-[(2S,3S,4R,5R,6S)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-methyloxan-2-yl]oxyoxan-2-yl]oxyphenyl]-5,7-dimethoxy-2,3-dihydrochromen-4-one | 163074601 | Click to see | 608.60 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1055/S-2008-1074857 |
| 5-[(2S,3S,4R,5R,6R)-4,5-dihydroxy-6-methyl-3-[(2S,3S,4S,5S)-3,4,5-trihydroxyoxan-2-yl]oxyoxan-2-yl]oxy-7-methoxy-2-(3,4,5-trimethoxyphenyl)chromen-4-one | 162912529 | Click to see | 636.60 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1080/10286020108040374 |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / Flavonoid glycosides / Flavonoid O-glycosides / Flavonoid-3-O-glycosides | |||||
| 5-hydroxy-7-methoxy-2-(4-methoxyphenyl)-3-[(2S,3R,4S,5S,6R)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-2-yl]oxychromen-4-one | 124708166 | Click to see | 476.40 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(03)00416-3 |
| 5-Hydroxy-7-methoxy-2-(4-methoxyphenyl)-3-[3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-2-yl]oxychromen-4-one | 74978374 | Click to see | 476.40 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(03)00416-3 |
| 5,7-Dihydroxy-2-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-3-[3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-2-yl]oxychromen-4-one | 5462193 | Click to see C1=CC(=CC=C1C2=C(C(=O)C3=C(C=C(C=C3O2)O)O)OC4C(C(C(C(O4)CO)O)O)O)O | 448.40 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(03)00416-3 |
| Astragalin | 5282102 | Click to see C1=CC(=CC=C1C2=C(C(=O)C3=C(C=C(C=C3O2)O)O)OC4C(C(C(C(O4)CO)O)O)O)O | 448.40 | unknown |
https://doi.org/10.1016/S0367-326X(98)00032-X https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(03)00416-3 |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / O-methylated flavonoids / 7-O-methylated flavonoids | |||||
| (2S)-5,7-Dimethoxy-3',4'-methylenedioxyflavanone | 10336604 | Click to see | 328.30 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(03)00416-3 |
| (S)-5,7-Dimethoxy-2-(4-methoxyphenyl)chroman-4-one | 57404369 | Click to see | 314.30 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1080/14786410802553752 |
| 5,7-Dimethoxy-3',4'-methylenedioxyflavanone | 15933561 | Click to see COC1=CC2=C(C(=O)CC(O2)C3=CC4=C(C=C3)OCO4)C(=C1)OC | 328.30 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(03)00416-3 |
| Naringenin trimethyl ether | 5003667 | Click to see | 314.30 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1080/14786410802553752 |
Collections Top
| In private collections | 0 |
| In public collections | 0 |