The difference between Bauhinia and Bauhinia

Distinction between families and genus

Bauhinia is native to China and is distributed throughout the country. It belongs to the genus Bauhinia in the Fabaceae family. It is a shrub and is mostly planted in traditional courtyards. Bauhinia bracteata is native to southern China and is also distributed in India and other regions. It belongs to the genus Bauhinia of the subfamily Caesalpinioideae of the Fabaceae family. It is a deciduous tree and is mostly used as a street tree in southern China.

Blade difference

The leaves of Bauhinia are papery, nearly round or triangular-round, while the leaves of Bauhinia edulis are leathery, kidney-shaped, and sheep's hoof-shaped. The left picture below shows the leaves of Bauhinia, and the right picture shows the leaves of Bauhinia occidentalis. The difference is very obvious.

Flower Difference

The Bauhinia flower is purple or pink, and the flowers are very small. They are usually clustered on old branches and trunks. The younger the branches, the fewer flowers there are, so it is also called the red bauhinia. The Bauhinia bracts has an umbel or cone inflorescence. The flowers look like orchids and are as big as a palm. The petals are five-pointed and the color is slightly lighter than that of the Bauhinia bracts. The left picture shows Bauhinia, and the right picture shows Bauhinia occidentalis.

Difference in medicinal value

The bark of Bauhinia has the effects of clearing away heat and detoxifying, promoting blood circulation and regulating qi, and reducing swelling; the flower of Bauhinia has the effects of clearing heat and cooling blood, dispelling wind and detoxifying; the fruit of Bauhinia can treat cough, but its seeds are poisonous; the flower of Bauhinia has the effects of anti-inflammatory and detoxifying, and the root bark has a good effect in relieving indigestion.

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