Bauhinia purpurea L. (Fabaceae)

Scientific name
Bauhinia purpurea L.
Family name
Fabaceae (Syn. Leguminosae)
Common name
Bauhinia (English); murasaki mokuwan-ju (Japanese)
Local name
Phak-siew
A medium-sized, erect tree, with moderately stout, glabrescent branchlets. Leaves alternate, simple, 2-lobed, subcoriaceous, glabrous, shallowly cordate, with lobes obtuse or subacute, with gap reaching halfway down the leaf. Flowers in terminal and axillary short-peduncled, few-flowered corymbs; bracts minute, deltoid; lower pedicels 6–12 mm. Calyx tubular, tube 6–12 mm; limb 7–25 mm, coriaceous, split into two valves, with 2 and 3 teeth, respectively. Petals oblanceolate, with long, reddish claw, twice the calyx length. Fertile stamens 3–4. Ovary hairy, grey, with long stalk and moderately large, oblique stigma. Fruit a firm, flat pod, slightly decurved, glabrous, 15–30 cm × 18–25 mm, dehiscing late, 12–15 seeded.
Traditional medicinal use
Functionality
Functional constituents
Common tree along roadsides, grown ornamentally and for shade. Propagated by seed sowing or air layering.
Young shoots and leaves are used in curry dishes, adding a somewhat sour taste.
Leaves
Flowers