Bauhinia

''Bauhinia'' () is a large genus of flowering plants in the subfamily Cercidoideae and tribe Bauhinieae, in the large flowering plant family Fabaceae, with a pantropical distribution. The genus was named after the Bauhin brothers Gaspard and Johann, Swiss- French botanists.

Many species are widely planted in the tropics as orchid trees, particularly in India, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Nepal and southeastern China. Other common names include mountain ebony and ''kachnar''. Before the family was reorganised, a number of genera including the lianas ''Lasiobema'' and ''Phanera'' were placed here (see related genera).
In the United States, the trees grow in Hawaii, coastal California, Arizona, Texas, Louisiana, and Florida. There are native species, like ''Bauhinia lunarioides'' native to Texas and widely planted in the Southwest as a landscape plant.

''Bauhinia'' × ''blakeana'' is the floral emblem of Hong Kong—a stylized orchid tree flower appears on the flag of Hong Kong and Hong Kong Airlines uses 'Bauhinia' as its radio callsign in air traffic communication.

Description

''Bauhinia'' trees typically reach a height of 6–12 m and their branches spread 3–6 m outwards. The lobed leaves usually are 10–15 cm across.

The five-petaled flowers are 7.5–12.5 cm diameter, generally in shades of red, pink, purple, orange, or yellow, and are often fragrant. The tree begins flowering in late winter and often continues to flower into early summer. Depending on the species, ''Bauhinia'' flowers are usually in magenta, mauve, pink or white hues with crimson highlights.

Cultivation

Propagation of ''Bauhinia'' species is from seeds or cuttings. They thrive in alkaline soils and do not tolerate salty conditions. Full sun exposure is preferred but they can be grown under partial sun. Generous watering is needed during summer; moderate moisture required in winter.

Species

Accepted species

''Bauhinia'' includes at least the following species:

Species names with uncertain taxonomic status

The status of the following species is unresolved:

* ''Bauhinia abyssinica'' A.Rich.
* ''Bauhinia acuminata'' Bruce
* ''Bauhinia aimouta'' Steud.
* ''Bauhinia amatlana'' Wunderlin
* ''Bauhinia andax'' DeWitt
* ''Bauhinia angularis'' Harms ex Glaz.
* ''Bauhinia angulata'' Vell.
* ''Bauhinia articulata'' Oliv.
* ''Bauhinia ayabacensis'' Wunderlin
* ''Bauhinia bacuria'' Buch.-Ham. ex Wall.
* ''Bauhinia baueriana'' Steud.
* ''Bauhinia benzoin'' Kotschy ex Schweinf.
* ''Bauhinia bequaerti'' De Wild.
* ''Bauhinia bryoniflora'' Franch.
* ''Bauhinia burkeana'' Benth. ex Harv. & Sond.
* ''Bauhinia cancara'' Buch.-Ham. ex Steud.
* ''Bauhinia candelabriformis'' R.S. Cowan
* ''Bauhinia choriophylla'' Vogel
* ''Bauhinia cissoides'' Welw. ex Oliv.
* ''Bauhinia compacta'' Regel
* ''Bauhinia congesta''—Anacacho orchid tree
* ''Bauhinia cookii'' Rose
* ''Bauhinia crocea'' Drake
* ''Bauhinia cucullata'' Desv.
* ''Bauhinia cumingiana'' (Benth.) Fern.-Vill.
* ''Bauhinia depauperata'' Glaz.
* ''Bauhinia dobbierum'' Rose
* ''Bauhinia dubia'' G. Don
* ''Bauhinia eriophora'' Ten.
* ''Bauhinia esmeraldasensis'' Wunderlin
* ''Bauhinia eximia'' Miq.
* ''Bauhinia fabrilis'' (de Wit) K. Larsen & S.S. Larsen
* ''Bauhinia farec'' Desv.
* ''Bauhinia geniculata'' Wunderlin
* ''Bauhinia grahami'' Steud.
* ''Bauhinia grandifolia'' Steud.
* ''Bauhinia herrerae'' (Britton & Rose) Standl. & Steyerm.
* ''Bauhinia holzei'' F.Muell.
* ''Bauhinia hostmanniana'' Miq.
* ''Bauhinia hypochrysa'' T.C. Chen
* ''Bauhinia hypoglauca'' Tang & F.T. Wang ex T.C. Chen
* ''Bauhinia indica'' Ladd ex Loud
* ''Bauhinia isopetala'' Griff.
* ''Bauhinia jenningsii'' Paul G. Wilson
* ''Bauhinia leichhardtii'' F.Muell.
* ''Bauhinia lingyuenensis'' T.C. Chen
* ''Bauhinia longiracemosa'' Hayata
* ''Bauhinia longiseta'' Fróes
* ''Bauhinia longistipes'' T.C. Chen
* ''Bauhinia longistyla'' Benth.
* ''Bauhinia maculata'' Ten.
* ''Bauhinia maglesia'' Lindl.
* ''Bauhinia malacotrichoides'' R.S. Cowan
* ''Bauhinia marlothii'' Engl.
* ''Bauhinia marowijnensis'' Kleinh.
* ''Bauhinia montana'' Lanza
* ''Bauhinia mucora'' Bolle
* ''Bauhinia ovatifolia'' T.C. Chen
* ''Bauhinia parkinsonii'' C.E.C.Fisch.
* ''Bauhinia paucinervata'' T.C. Chen
* ''Bauhinia persichii'' F.Muell.
* ''Bauhinia pinnata'' Blanco
* ''Bauhinia platisiliqua'' Steud.
* ''Bauhinia platysiliqua'' Perr. ex DC.
* ''Bauhinia polyacantha'' Steud.
* ''Bauhinia polyantha'' Vogel
* ''Bauhinia purpurea'' Wall.
* ''Bauhinia pyrrhocarpa'' Hochst.
* ''Bauhinia reniformis'' Royle ex Baker
* ''Bauhinia rubescens'' Pers.
* ''Bauhinia ruficarpa'' Desv.
* ''Bauhinia scortechinii'' Prain ex King
* ''Bauhinia sellowiana'' Vogel
* ''Bauhinia stenoscypha'' Baker
* ''Bauhinia strychnoidea'' Prain ex King
* ''Bauhinia subclavala'' Benth.
* ''Bauhinia superba'' Steud.
* ''Bauhinia tamarindacea'' Delile
* ''Bauhinia tenuis'' Span.
* ''Bauhinia teysmanniana'' Scheff.
* ''Bauhinia timorensis'' Decne.
* ''Bauhinia timoriana'' Steud.
* ''Bauhinia timoriensis'' Baker
* ''Bauhinia trichosepala'' (L.P.Queiroz) Wunderlin & Eilers
* ''Bauhinia tuichiensis'' Cayola & A. Fuentes
* ''Bauhinia umbriana'' Britton & Killip
* ''Bauhinia vahlii'' Villar
* ''Bauhinia venustula'' T.C. Chen
* ''Bauhinia welwischii'' Oliv.

Hybrids

One hybrid is known:
* ''Bauhinia'' × ''blakeana'' S. T. Dunn (''Bauhinia variegata'' × ''Bauhinia purpurea'')—Hong Kong orchid tree

Fossils

Several fossils of ''Bauhinia'' species have been discovered:
* †''Bauhinia cheniae'' Qi Wang, Z. Q. Song, Y. F. Chen, S. Shen & Z. Y. Li
* †''Bauhinia cretacea'' Newberry
* †''Bauhinia fotana'' F.M.B. Jacques ''et al''.
* †''Bauhinia gigantea'' Newberry
* †''Bauhinia gracilis'' J.R. Tao
* †''Bauhinia larsenii'' D.X. Zhang & Y. F. Chen
* †''Bauhinia ningmingensis'' Qi Wang, Z. Q. Song, Y. F. Chen, S. Shen & Z. Y. Li
* †''Bauhinia potosiana'' Berry
* †''Bauhinia thonningii'' Schum.
* †''Bauhinia ungulatoides'' Y.X.Lin, W.O.Wong, G.L.Shi, S.Shen & Z.Y.Li
* †''Bauhinia wenshanensis'' H.H. Meng & Z.K. Zhou
* †''Bauhinia wyomingiana'' Brown

Segregated genera

Species in the genera ''Barklya'', '' Gigasiphon'', ''Lasiobema'', ''Lysiphyllum'', ''Phanera'', ''Piliostigma'', '' Schnella'', and ''Tylosema'' are sometimes included in ''Bauhinia'' (''sensu lato'').

Gallery

File:Bauhinia corifolia L. P. Queiroz sp. nov. ined. - Flickr - Alex Popovkin, Bahia, Brazil (8).jpg, '' Bauhinia corifolia'' fruit
File:Bauhinia monandra.jpg, ''Bauhinia monandra''
File:Bauhinia natalensis 2c.JPG, ''Bauhinia natalensis''
File:Bauhinia purpurea (2744986882).jpg, ''Bauhinia purpurea''
File:Bauhinia racemosa (5447902634).jpg, ''Bauhinia racemosa''
File:Bauhinia tomentosa (8606310758).jpg, ''Bauhinia tomentosa''

References

External links

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{{Taxonbar, from=Q287313

Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus
Pantropical flora
Fabaceae genera