Scientific Name: Bauhinia Tomentosa
Common Name: Yellow Bauhinia
Family: Fabaceae (commonly known as legume, pea or bean family)
Names in other languages: Afrikaans (bosbeesklou); Cantonese (kanchivala); English (variegated bauhinia, St. Thomas tree, bell bauhinia,orchid tree, hairy bauhinia, mountain ebony, yellow tree bauhinia); Hindi (kural,gurial,padrian,gwiar,kachnar,koliar); Malay (akbar tapak kerbau,kupu-kupu)--- no names in Kiswahili because this shrub is not often found here
General Information
Bauhinia tomentosa is a rambling, multi-stemmed shrub or small tree that grows to be between 4 and 8 meters tall. With many short twigs, the branches are frequently drooping. Central, eastern, and southern Africa, as well as Yemen, are home to Bauhinia Tomentosa. Western Africa, southern and eastern Asia, as well as the Andaman Islands, have all been introduced to the tree.
Features of Bauhinia Tomentosa that make it identifiable:
The Bark is grayish, smooth, but sometimes, it can look hairy
The Leaves are greenish and deeply divided. Also elliptical in nature.
The flowers are bell-shaped with large, yellow petals with a dark maroon patch at the base
The fruit are pale brown pods enclosed in a seal-like structure of a similar color
Uses (non medicinal)
used for aromatic purposes
Medicinal Uses:
Its flowers are used as remedy for dysentery and diarrhea
Root bark is used for conditions of the large intestine
Infusion of the stem bark is used as an astringent gargle
the leaf is an ingredient in a plaster applied to abscesses
A decoction of the root bark is used for abdominal troubles and as an anthelmintic
An infusion of the root bark is used as an external application to inflamed glands, abscesses and skin conditions
A paste of the seed made with vinegar is used as a local application to wounds created by venomous animals.
Bark
Leaves
Flower
fruit