Volume 4 > Part 1 > Year 1984 > Page 11 > Leguminosae-Caesalpinioideae > Bauhinia

4. Bauhinia variegata L.wfo-0000213330

Sp. Pl: 375. 1753; Baker in Hook.f., Fl. Br. Ind. 2: 284. 1878; Gagnep. in Fl. Gén. I.-C. 2: 145. 1913; Craib in Fl. Siam. En. 1: 531. 1928; de Wit, Reinwardtia 3: 411. 1956; K.Larsen & S.S.Larsen, Nat. Hist. Bull. Siam Soc. 25: 18. 1973; in Fl. C.L.V. 18: 155. 1980.— Phanera variegnta (L.) Benth. in Miq., PI. Jungh.: 262. 1852. Fig. 1: 4–5. Plate II, 11.

Accepted Name : This is currently accepted.

Synonyms & Citations :

Description : Deciduous shrub or tree up to 15 m high; young branches pubescent, later glabrous. Leaves broadly ovate to subrotundate, 6–16 cm in diam., 11–13-nerved; bifid to ¼–⅓ with broad sinus, tip of lobes rounded; base cordate, upper surface glaucous, glabrous, lower sparsely puberulous. Stipules minute, 1–2 mm long, early caducous. Petioles glabrous, 3–4 cm. Racemes short, lateral, mainly on the old branches, few-flowered. Pedicels short, stout, 5 mm. Bracts and bracteoles minute, triangular. Buds fusiform, ca 3–4 cm long. Receptacle 15 mm long. Calyx spathaceous. Petals white or purple, obovate, 4–5.5 mm long, short-clawed. Stamens 5 fertile, unequal; filaments 2–4 cm long, anthers 7 mm long. Ovary 2 cm, pubescent mainly on the sutures; stipe 1.5 cm; style ca 1 cm; stigma small, capitate. Pods dehiscent, obliquely striate, 20–30 by 2–2.5 cm. Seeds 10–25, flattened, 10–15. mm diam.

Thailand : NORTHERN: Chiang Mai, Mae Hong Son; SOUTH-WESTERN: Kan chanaburi (Si Sawat). Seems to follow the Tenasserini range down to ca 15˚ N.

Distribution : India (type), Burma, S China, Laos, N Vietnam.

Ecology : Mixed deciduous forests, 500–800 m alt., often as a dominant. Cream-flowered and purple-flowered individuals grow together.

Vernacular : Piang phako (เปียงพะโก), sieo dok khao (เสี้ยวดอกขาว)(Northern); pho-phe (โพะเพ่)(Karen-Southwestern).

CommonName : Mountain Ebony, St. Thomas Tree.