Bauhinia purpurea

• Botanical Name : Bauhinia purpurea L.

• The name Bauhinia refers to the two lobes of the leaf. The name is given by Linnaeus in honour of twin brothers - John Bauhin and Gaspard Bauhin, French botanists, who contributed a lot to the study of herbs.

• Common Name : Rakta - Kanchan, Dev - Kanchan, Mountain Ebony, Camel Hoof Tree
• Plant Family : Caesalpiniaceae
• Plant Form : Tree
• Occurrence (Sectors) : 1, 2, 5, 10, 11, 22, 28
• Occurrence (Special Areas) : Gujarat Forestry Research Foundation, Indroda Park, Infocity, Aranya Van

About Bauhinia purpurea Plant :

• Habit : A small to medium - sized tree.
• Leaves : Simple, roundish, as broad as long, divided into 2 obtuse lobes, stipules long triangular, base cordate.
• Inflorescence: Racemes
• Flowers :
  • Showy, fragrant, in terminal and axillary corymbose racemes, bracts triangular, bracteoles 2, below the middle.
  • Calyx hairy, dilated upwards, divided at the apex into 5 short teeth.Petals oblanceolate, long - clawed, rosy purple with veins.
  • Fertile stamens 3, others reduced to staminodes, filaments as long as petals. Ovary stalked, style long, stigma oblique, peltate.
• Fruit : Pod linear flat, pointed, broad,, subwoody, glabrous, greenish tinged purple till ripe.
• Seeds : 12 - 15, flat.
• Flowering and Fruiting time : September - November
• Significance :
  • Cultivated in the gardens.
  • The tree is also known to yield gum.
  • The leaves are used as cattle fodder and are eaten as vegetable or pickle.
  • The bark is used by the tanning industry. It is also used to wash ulcers.
  • The wood is good for making agricultural implements.