Family: Fabaceae
Taxonomy: Plantae > Tracheophyta > Equisetopsida C. Agardh > Fabales > Fabaceae > Bauhinia > Bauhinia acuminata L.
Common name [English]: White orchid-tree, Dwarf white Bauhinia
Vernacular name [Malayalam]: മന്ദാരം
Nativity: S. China to Tropical Asia and N. Australia
Description: An erect shrub up to 10 ft. high. Leaves are 3-5 inches in length, slightly longer than broad, cleft about one third way down into two acute or sub-obtuse lobes. Flowers white, in short leaf opposed raceme; bracts and bracteoles are linear, pubescent. Sepals with spatheceous limb, acuminate. Petals with prominent midrib and ascending veins. Stamens 10, ovary stipitate. Pod glabrous.
Flowering and Fruiting: April - May
Uses: The roots are used by the Javanese to treat cough and cold. In India, the decoction of leaves and bark is used to treat asthma attack
Cultivation: Cultivated as ornamental
References
http://www.plantsoftheworldonline.org
https://indiabiodiversity.org