Taxon:  Bauhinia variegata L.



Summary
Genus:
Bauhinia
Family:
Fabaceae (alt. Leguminosae)
Subfamily:
Cercidoideae
Tribe:
Cercideae
Subtribe:
Bauhiniinae
Nomen number:
6602
Place of publication:
Sp. pl. 1:375.  1753
Verified:
11/24/1987 ARS Systematic Botanists.
Accessions:
16 (4  active, 4  available) in National Plant Germplasm System.  (Map it)
Other conspecific taxa
Autonyms (not in current use), synonyms and invalid designations
Autonym(s)
Bauhinia variegata L. var. variegata

Heterotypic Synonym(s)
Bauhinia alba hort.
Bauhinia variegata L. var. alboflava de Wit
Bauhinia variegata L. var. candida Voigt

No images


Conservation Status

Reference(s)
  1. University of Georgia Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health
  2. Aldén, B., S. Ryman, & M. Hjertson. 2012. Svensk Kulturväxtdatabas, SKUD (Swedish Cultivated and Utility Plants Database; online resource)
  3. APHIS. Agricultural Risk Management System United States Department of Agriculture.
  4. Aubréville, A. et al., eds. 1960-. Flore du Cambodge du Laos et du Viet-Nam.
  5. Chinese Academy of Sciences. 1959-. Flora reipublicae popularis sinicae.
  6. Dyer, R. A. et al., eds. 1963-. Flora of southern Africa.
  7. Encke, F. et al. 1984. Zander: Handwörterbuch der Pflanzennamen, 13. Auflage
  8. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). 2010. Ecocrop (on-line resource).
  9. Grierson, A. J. C. & D. J. Long. 1984-. Flora of Bhutan including a record of plants from Sikkim.
  10. Henderson, L. 2001. Alien weeds and invasive plants: a complete guide to declared weeds and invaders in South Africa. Plant Protection Research Institute, Handbook 12
  11. Howard, R. 1974-1989. Flora of the lesser Antilles. Note: cult.
  12. Isely, D. 1975. Leguminosae of the United States: II. Subfamily Caesalpinioideae. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 25(2):30.
  13. Kala, C. P. et al. 2004. Prioritization of medicinal plants on the basis of available knowledge, existing practices and use value status in Uttaranchal, India. Biodivers. & Conservation 13:459.
  14. Kumar, S & P. V. Sane. 2003. Legumes of South Asia: a checklist.
  15. Lewis, G. P. 1987. Legumes of Bahia
  16. Liberty Hyde Bailey Hortorium. 1976. Hortus third. A concise dictionary of plants cultivated in the United States and Canada
  17. Lock, J. M. & C. S. Ford. 2004. Legumes of Malesia: a checklist
  18. Matthew, K. M. 1983. The flora of the Tamilnadu Carnatic.
  19. McVaugh, R. 1983-. Flora Novo-Galiciana.
  20. Nasir, E. & S. I. Ali, eds. 1970-. Flora of [West] Pakistan.
  21. Personal Care Products Council. International Nomenclature Cosmetic Ingredient
  22. Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants
  23. Smith, A. C. 1979-1991. Flora vitiensis nova.
  24. Smitinand, T. & K. Larsen, eds. 1970-. Flora of Thailand.
  25. Wit, H. C. D. de. 1956. A revision of the Malayan Bauhinieae. Reinwardtia 3:411.
  26. Wunderlin, R. P. et al. 1987. Reorganization of the Cercideae (Fabaceae: Caesalpinioideae). Biol. Skr. 28:15.
  27. Zhu, X. Y. et al. 2007. Legumes of China: a checklist
Common names
LanguageNameAlternate namenoteseqCitation
Englishmountain-ebony  1Liberty Hyde Bailey Hortorium. 1976. Hortus third. A concise dictionary of plants cultivated in the United States and Canada
Englishorchidtree  1Liberty Hyde Bailey Hortorium. 1976. Hortus third. A concise dictionary of plants cultivated in the United States and Canada
Afrikaansorgideëboom  2Henderson, L. 2001. Alien weeds and invasive plants: a complete guide to declared weeds and invaders in South Africa. Plant Protection Research Institute, Handbook 12
Frencharbre de Saint-Thomas  2Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants
Germanbuntfarbene Bauhinie  2Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants
Indiakachnar  2Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants
Portugueseárvore-de-São-Thomaz  2Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants
Swedishorkidébauhinia  2Aldén, B., S. Ryman, & M. Hjertson. 2012. Svensk Kulturväxtdatabas, SKUD (Swedish Cultivated and Utility Plants Database; online resource)
Distribution
order_codeStatusContinentSubcontinentCountryStateNoteReference
1NativeAsia-TemperateChinaChinaFujian Sheng Zhu, X. Y. et al. 2007. Legumes of China: a checklist
1NativeAsia-TemperateChinaChinaGuangdong Sheng Zhu, X. Y. et al. 2007. Legumes of China: a checklist
1NativeAsia-TemperateChinaChinaGuangxi Zhuangzu Zizhiqu Zhu, X. Y. et al. 2007. Legumes of China: a checklist
1NativeAsia-TemperateChinaChinaYunnan Sheng Zhu, X. Y. et al. 2007. Legumes of China: a checklist
1NativeAsia-TropicalIndian SubcontinentBhutan  Grierson, A. J. C. & D. J. Long. 1984-. Flora of Bhutan including a record of plants from Sikkim.
1NativeAsia-TropicalIndian SubcontinentIndiaAndhra Pradesh Kumar, S & P. V. Sane. 2003. Legumes of South Asia: a checklist.
1NativeAsia-TropicalIndian SubcontinentIndiaArunachal Pradesh Kumar, S & P. V. Sane. 2003. Legumes of South Asia: a checklist.
1NativeAsia-TropicalIndian SubcontinentIndiaAssam Kumar, S & P. V. Sane. 2003. Legumes of South Asia: a checklist.
1NativeAsia-TropicalIndian SubcontinentIndiaBihar Kumar, S & P. V. Sane. 2003. Legumes of South Asia: a checklist.
1NativeAsia-TropicalIndian SubcontinentIndiaDelhi Kumar, S & P. V. Sane. 2003. Legumes of South Asia: a checklist.
1NativeAsia-TropicalIndian SubcontinentIndiaGoa Kumar, S & P. V. Sane. 2003. Legumes of South Asia: a checklist.
1NativeAsia-TropicalIndian SubcontinentIndiaGujarat Kumar, S & P. V. Sane. 2003. Legumes of South Asia: a checklist.
1NativeAsia-TropicalIndian SubcontinentIndiaHaryana Kumar, S & P. V. Sane. 2003. Legumes of South Asia: a checklist.
1NativeAsia-TropicalIndian SubcontinentIndiaHimachal Pradesh Kumar, S & P. V. Sane. 2003. Legumes of South Asia: a checklist.
1NativeAsia-TropicalIndian SubcontinentIndiaJammu and Kashmir Kumar, S & P. V. Sane. 2003. Legumes of South Asia: a checklist.
1NativeAsia-TropicalIndian SubcontinentIndiaKarnataka Kumar, S & P. V. Sane. 2003. Legumes of South Asia: a checklist.
1NativeAsia-TropicalIndian SubcontinentIndiaKerala Kumar, S & P. V. Sane. 2003. Legumes of South Asia: a checklist.
1NativeAsia-TropicalIndian SubcontinentIndiaMadhya Pradesh Kumar, S & P. V. Sane. 2003. Legumes of South Asia: a checklist.
1NativeAsia-TropicalIndian SubcontinentIndiaMaharashtra Kumar, S & P. V. Sane. 2003. Legumes of South Asia: a checklist.
1NativeAsia-TropicalIndian SubcontinentIndiaManipur Kumar, S & P. V. Sane. 2003. Legumes of South Asia: a checklist.
1NativeAsia-TropicalIndian SubcontinentIndiaMeghalaya Kumar, S & P. V. Sane. 2003. Legumes of South Asia: a checklist.
1NativeAsia-TropicalIndian SubcontinentIndiaMizoram Kumar, S & P. V. Sane. 2003. Legumes of South Asia: a checklist.
1NativeAsia-TropicalIndian SubcontinentIndiaNagaland Kumar, S & P. V. Sane. 2003. Legumes of South Asia: a checklist.
1NativeAsia-TropicalIndian SubcontinentIndiaOdisha Kumar, S & P. V. Sane. 2003. Legumes of South Asia: a checklist.
1NativeAsia-TropicalIndian SubcontinentIndiaPuducherry Kumar, S & P. V. Sane. 2003. Legumes of South Asia: a checklist.
1NativeAsia-TropicalIndian SubcontinentIndiaPunjab Kumar, S & P. V. Sane. 2003. Legumes of South Asia: a checklist.
1NativeAsia-TropicalIndian SubcontinentIndiaRajasthan Kumar, S & P. V. Sane. 2003. Legumes of South Asia: a checklist.
1NativeAsia-TropicalIndian SubcontinentIndiaSikkim Kumar, S & P. V. Sane. 2003. Legumes of South Asia: a checklist.
1NativeAsia-TropicalIndian SubcontinentIndiaTamil Nadu Kumar, S & P. V. Sane. 2003. Legumes of South Asia: a checklist.
1NativeAsia-TropicalIndian SubcontinentIndiaTripura Kumar, S & P. V. Sane. 2003. Legumes of South Asia: a checklist.
1NativeAsia-TropicalIndian SubcontinentIndiaUttar Pradesh Kumar, S & P. V. Sane. 2003. Legumes of South Asia: a checklist.
1NativeAsia-TropicalIndian SubcontinentIndiaWest Bengal Kumar, S & P. V. Sane. 2003. Legumes of South Asia: a checklist.
1NativeAsia-TropicalIndian SubcontinentNepal  Kumar, S & P. V. Sane. 2003. Legumes of South Asia: a checklist.
1NativeAsia-TropicalIndian SubcontinentPakistan  Nasir, E. & S. I. Ali, eds. 1970-. Flora of [West] Pakistan.
1NativeAsia-TropicalIndo-ChinaLaos  Aubréville, A. et al., eds. 1960-. Flore du Cambodge du Laos et du Viet-Nam.
1NativeAsia-TropicalIndo-ChinaMyanmar  Kumar, S & P. V. Sane. 2003. Legumes of South Asia: a checklist.
1NativeAsia-TropicalIndo-ChinaThailand n.w.Smitinand, T. & K. Larsen, eds. 1970-. Flora of Thailand.
1NativeAsia-TropicalIndo-ChinaVietnam  Aubréville, A. et al., eds. 1960-. Flore du Cambodge du Laos et du Viet-Nam.
2Cultivated    also cult. 
4Naturalized    widely natzd. 
6Other    exact native range obscure 
Native
Asia-Temperate
  • CHINA: China [Fujian Sheng, Guangdong Sheng, Guangxi Zhuangzu Zizhiqu, Yunnan Sheng]
Asia-Tropical
  • INDIAN SUBCONTINENT: Bhutan, India [Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Delhi, Goa, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Odisha, Puducherry, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal], Nepal, Pakistan
  • INDO-CHINA: Laos, Myanmar, Thailand (n.w.), Vietnam
Cultivated (also cult.)
Naturalized (widely natzd.)
Other (exact native range obscure)

Reference(s)
  1. Aubréville, A. et al., eds. 1960-. Flore du Cambodge du Laos et du Viet-Nam.
  2. Grierson, A. J. C. & D. J. Long. 1984-. Flora of Bhutan including a record of plants from Sikkim.
  3. Kumar, S & P. V. Sane. 2003. Legumes of South Asia: a checklist.
  4. Nasir, E. & S. I. Ali, eds. 1970-. Flora of [West] Pakistan.
  5. Smitinand, T. & K. Larsen, eds. 1970-. Flora of Thailand.
  6. Zhu, X. Y. et al. 2007. Legumes of China: a checklist
Economic Uses
UsageTypeNoteReference
Environmentalornamental Encke, F. et al. 1984. Zander: Handwörterbuch der Pflanzennamen, 13. Auflage
Medicinesfolklore Kala, C. P. et al. 2004. Prioritization of medicinal plants on the basis of available knowledge, existing practices and use value status in Uttaranchal, India. Biodivers. & Conservation 13:459.
Weed  Henderson, L. 2001. Alien weeds and invasive plants: a complete guide to declared weeds and invaders in South Africa. Plant Protection Research Institute, Handbook 12
Cite as: USDA, Agricultural Research Service, National Plant Germplasm System. 2026. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN Taxonomy). National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland.
URL: https://npgstest.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/taxon/taxonomydetail?id=6602. Accessed 15 April 2026.