Purple bauhinia

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Butterfly-tree
• Hawaiian Orchid Tree
• Hong Kong Orchid Tree
• Purple Camel's Foot
• butterfly-orchid-tree
• camel's-foot
• orchidtree
• purple bauhinia
• Butterfly Orchid Tree
• Pink Butterfly Tree
• butterfly tree

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Telestria purpurea
• Phanera kurzii
• Phanera purpurea
• Perlebia purpurea
• Bauhinia purpurea var. violacea
• Bauhinia purpurea var. corneri
• Casparia castrata
• Perlebia purpurea var. violacea
• Caspareopsis purpurea
• Perlebia purpurea var. corneri
• Bauhinia triandra
• Bauhinia kurzii
• Bauhinia coromandeliana

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified under the phylum Streptophyta and class Equisetopsida. Within the subclass Magnoliidae and order Fabales, it is further categorized into the family Fabaceae. Finally, it is identified by the genus Bauhinia, specifically as the species Bauhinia purpurea.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a broad presence across several key regions within the African continent. In West Tropical Africa, its distribution includes the nation of Gambia as well as Sierra Leone. It is also documented to grow within the borders of Nigeria. Moving into West-Central Tropical Africa, the species can be found throughout the Gulf of Guinea Islands. Finally, its range extends further inland to encompass the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Bauhinia purpurea is characterized by its adaptability to diverse tropical and subtropical environments, where it typically flourishes in well-drained soils and open sunlight. This species exhibits a broad altitudinal distribution, occupying habitats ranging from sea level up to an elevation of 1600 m AMSL. Its ecological presence is often noted in forest edges, secondary forests, and disturbed sites, where it plays a role in successional processes. The plant thrives in various moisture regimes but is particularly well-suited to seasonal climates, often acting as a resilient component of the landscape in regions with distinct wet and dry cycles.

Elevational range max:

1600 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Life history

The life history of Bauhinia purpurea is characterized by its status as a perennial plant, ensuring a long-term presence within its ecological niche. As a phanerophyte, its regenerative buds are located on aerial shoots well above the ground, a structural trait that defines its growth habit and survival strategy. In terms of foliage maintenance, the species exhibits an evergreen nature, consistently retaining its leaves throughout the year to facilitate ongoing photosynthetic activity. This combination of a perennial lifecycle, a phanerophyte life form, and evergreen deciduousness allows the plant to maintain a stable and enduring biological presence in its environment.

Deciduousness :

evergreen

Life form :

phanerophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Bauhinia purpurea is characterized by its woody structure and versatile growth forms, ranging from a shrub to a tree. As a terrestrial and independent organism, it does not function as a parasite or an epiphyte. The plant is self-supporting rather than acting as a liana or vine, maintaining a robust stature that typically reaches a minimum height of 3 meters. On average, the plant stands at a height of 8 meters, though it can reach a maximum height of up to 10 meters.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

tree

Growth form :

shrub

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

10 m

Plant height mean:

8 m

Plant height min:

3 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Bauhinia purpurea is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, which dictates its metabolic processes and carbon fixation strategies. As a C3 plant, it fixes carbon dioxide directly through the enzyme Rubisco within the mesophyll cells, a process that is highly efficient under temperate to moderately warm environments but may face limitations such as photorespiration during periods of high thermal stress. Regarding its nutrient acquisition capabilities, this species is not a nitrogen fixer, meaning it lacks the symbiotic relationship with rhizobia or other nitrogen-fixing bacteria required to convert atmospheric nitrogen into usable forms; instead, it relies on the uptake of nitrates and ammonium from the soil through its root system to satisfy its nitrogen requirements for protein synthesis and chlorophyll production.

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Bauhinia purpurea is driven by biotic pollination syndromes, characterized by a specialized reliance on living organisms to facilitate pollen transfer. Specifically, the plant engages in pollination involving insects, with a notable emphasis on bees as key pollinators. The reproductive output is encapsulated in its seeds, which exhibit specific morphological characteristics regarding mass. The seed mass for this species varies within a defined range, with a minimum mass of 0.263 g and a maximum mass of 0.3546 g. On average, the seed mass is approximately 0.3221575 g, reflecting a consistent investment in reproductive units designed for successful establishment.

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

bee

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Seed mass max:

0.3546 g

Seed mass mean:

0.3221575 g

Seed mass min:

0.263 g

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Bauhinia purpurea has 3 reported plant parts identified across 7 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include leaf, stem, root.

Leaf

1. Journal of natural products
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology
3. Bioprocess and biosystems engineering
4. Indian journal of microbiology

Stem

1. Journal of natural products
2. Fitoterapia

Root

1. Journal of natural products

Chemicals

Bauhinia purpurea has 21 reported phytochemicals identified across 7 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Saponins, Flavonoids, Steroids, Tannin, Terpenoids.

Saponins

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Journal of dentistry (Tehran, Iran)

Flavonoids

1. Fitoterapia
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Steroids

1. Fitoterapia
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Tannin

1. Cardiovascular & hematological agents in medicinal chemistry
2. Pharmaceutical biology

Terpenoids

1. Fitoterapia
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

5,6-Dihydroxy-7-methoxyflavone 6-O-beta-D-xylopyranoside

1. Fitoterapia

BETA-TOCOPHEROL

1. Indian journal of microbiology

BPA

1. Journal of biochemistry

ERGOSTEROL

1. Indian journal of microbiology

Flavonoid

1. Pharmaceutical biology

Activities

Bauhinia purpurea has 14 reported activities identified across 7 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Antibacterial, Antifungal, Anticancer, Antimalarial.

Antioxidant

1. Cardiovascular & hematological agents in medicinal chemistry
2. Bioprocess and biosystems engineering
3. Fitoterapia
4. BMC complementary and alternative medicine

Antibacterial

1. Indian journal of microbiology
2. BMC complementary and alternative medicine

Antifungal

1. Journal of natural products
2. Indian journal of microbiology

Anticancer

1. Bioprocess and biosystems engineering

Antimalarial

1. Journal of natural products

Antimicrobial

1. Bioprocess and biosystems engineering

Antisecretory

1. Pharmaceutical biology

Antiulcer

1. Pharmaceutical biology

Cardioprotective

1. Fitoterapia

Cytoprotective

1. Pharmaceutical biology

Medicinal Uses

Bauhinia purpurea has 16 reported medicinal uses identified across 7 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include gastric ulcer, ulcers, Bacillus subtilis, Candida albicans, Dental caries.

Most Reported Uses

Preparations