The difference between Bauhinia and Crape Myrtle

1. Leaf Difference

The leaves of Bauhinia are leathery, nearly round or broadly cordate, about 8.5 to 13 cm long, 9 to 14 cm wide, with a cordate base, sometimes nearly truncated, and the tip of the leaf has two lobes, about 1/3 or 1/4 of the entire leaf length. The apex of the lobes is obtuse or narrowly rounded, the leaf blade is glabrous on the upper side, and has loose, short soft hairs on the lower side. There are 11 to 13 veins, and the petiole is 3.5 to 4 cm long.

The leaves of Lagerstroemia are alternate, sometimes opposite, papery, obovate, elliptical or broadly rectangular, about 2.5 to 7 cm long and 1.5 to 5.5 cm wide. The apex of the leaves is short-pointed or obtuse, sometimes slightly concave, and the base is broadly cuneate or nearly circular.

2. Flower Differences

The racemes of Bauhinia are terminal or axillary, sometimes compounded into paniculate inflorescences with short soft hairs. The bracts and bracteoles are triangular, about 3 mm long, the buds are fusiform, the calyx is flame-shaped, about 2.5 cm long, and the petals are purple-red, with short petioles and are oblanceolate.

The crape myrtle has a terminal panicle inflorescence. The flowers are red, white and purple. The inflorescence is about 7 to 20 cm long. The flowers have 6 petals, which are wrinkled and about 1.1 to 2 cm long.