Bauhinia acuminata Linn.
Family Caesalpiniaceae.
Habitat Central India.
English Dwarf White Bauhinia. Ayurvedic Kaanchnaara, Kovidaara
(white-flowered var.)
Unani Kachnaal.
Siddha/Tamil Vellaimandarai. Action Bark and leaves—a
decoction is given in biliousness, stone in bladder, venereal diseases, leprosy and asthma. Root—boiled with oil is applied to burns.
Bauhinia malabarica Roxb.
Family Caesalpiniaceae.
Habitat South India, Assam and
Bengal.
English Malabar Mountain Ebony. Ayurvedic Ashmantaka var.,
Kaanchanaara var. (in the South). Siddha/Tamil Malaiyatti.
Folk Aapataa (Maharashtra), Amli,
Amlosaa.
Action Antidysenteric.
The plant contains flavonoid glycosides—quercitroside, iso- quercitroside, rutoside, taxifoline rhamnoside, kaempferol glycosides and quercetol glycoside.
Bauhinia purpurea Linn.
Habitat The Himalayas, and distributed in Northern India, Assam, Khasi Hills. Also cultivated in gardens.
English Camel’s Foot tree, Pink Bauhinia, Butterfly tree, Geramium tree, Orchid tree.
Ayurvedic Kovidaara, Rakta Kaanchanaara.
Unani/Siddha Sivappu mandaarai. Siddha Mandarai.
Folk Koilaara, Khairwaal, Kaliaar, Rakta Kanchan.
Action Bark—astringent, antidiarrhoeal. Flower buds and flowers, fried in purified butter, are given to patients suffering from dysentery. Extract of stems are used internally and externally for fractured bones. Plant is used in goitre. It exhibited antithyroid-like activity in experimental animals.
The flowers contain astragalin, isoquercitrin and quercetin, also anthocyanins. Seeds contain chalcone glycosides.
