TreeCultivatedPerennialMedicinal

Bauhinia purpurea L.

Kachnar

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Description

Bauhinia purpurea is a small to medium-sized deciduous tree, usually 5–15 m tall, with a spreading crown and irregular branching. The bark is greyish-brown and slightly rough with age. Leaves are simple, alternate, leathery, and distinctly bilobed, resembling a camel hoof or butterfly wing. Leaves are usually 5–15 cm wide, divided nearly halfway into two rounded lobes with prominent palmate venation. Flowers are large, bisexual, showy, fragrant, and arranged in terminal or axillary clusters. The petals are pink to purple, unequal in size, with five petals and prominent stamens. Fruits are long, flat, dry pods, usually 15–30 cm long, turning brown at maturity and containing several flattened seeds.

Diagnostic Characters

Vegetative

Bilobed butterfly-shaped leaves. Palmate venation. Small tree habit.

Floral

Large orchid-like flowers. Purple-pink petals. Showy inflorescences.

Fruit & Seed

Long flattened pods.

Distribution

Native range: Native to South Asia, Southeast Asia.

In Pakistan: Widely cultivated in Pakistan, India, Bangladesh. Common in Parks, University campuses, Roadsides.

Phenology

Flowering

Fruiting

Flowering: February–April Fruiting: April–July

Ethnobotany & Uses

Medicinal Importance

Bark used for Diarrhea, Dysentery, Inflammation. Flowers used traditionally for Digestive disorders. Leaves used for Wound treatment.

Ornamental Importance

Highly valued because of Attractive orchid-like flowers, Decorative foliage.

Ecological Importance

Supports pollinators. Provides shade and habitat.

UniFlora AI Assistant

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Where it grows on campus

North-North-West Campus1

individuals mapped across 1 zone

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Taxonomic Notes

Bauhinia purpurea belongs to the subfamily Caesalpinioideae and is closely related to Bauhinia variegata. It differs by Purple flowers, More elongated petals, Later flowering period, UniFlora Field Recognition Tip 🌿. Look for 🌳 Small flowering tree, 🍃 Two-lobed camel-foot leaves.