Bauhinia tomentosa
(yellow bauhinia)

Preferred Common Name

• yellow bauhinia

Other Scientific Names

• Alvesia bauhinioides Welw.
• Alvesia tomentosa (L.) Britton & Rose
• Bauhinia pubescens DC.
• Bauhinia tomentosa var. glabrata Hook. f.
• Bauhinia volkensii Taub.
• Bauhinia wituensis Harms
• Pauletia tomentosa (L.) A.Schmitz

International Common Names

• English: bell bauhinia; St. Thomas tree
• Spanish: bauhinia amarilla; flor de azufre; guacamaya americana; mariposa; petán
• French: fleur du sacré-coeur
• Chinese: huang hua yang ti jia

Local Common Names

• Cuba: bauhinia; gorro de Napoleón; guacamaya americana
• India: kachnar
• South Africa: Geelbeesklou; IsiThibathibana
• Sri Lanka: kaha-petan; petan

• Domain: Eukaryota
•     Kingdom: Plantae
•         Phylum: Spermatophyta
•             Subphylum: Angiospermae
•                 Class: Dicotyledonae
•                     Order: Fabales
•                         Family: Fabaceae
•                             Subfamily: Caesalpinioideae
•                                 Genus: Bauhinia
•                                     Species: Bauhinia tomentosa

Fabaceae is one of the largest families of flowering plants, including about 745 genera and 19,500 species distributed worldwide growing in a great variety of climates and environments (Stevens, 2012). Bauhinia is listed within the tribe Cercideae in the Caesalpinoideae subfamily. This genus comprises about 250 species of trees, lianas, and shrubs distributed principally in tropical and temperate regions of the world (Connor, 2001; Stevens, 2012). Bauhinia species are frequently planted as ornamentals for their showy flowers and foliage (Connor, 2001).

The genus name "Bauhinia" honours herbalist brothers from the 16th century, Johann and Caspar Bauhin. They were identical twin brothers, making it a very apt name, as the two lobes of the leaves, when folded together, are identical. The name of the species “tomentosa” is derived from tomentose meaning dense, interwoven hairs (Roux, 2005; Orwa et al., 2009). 

Shrubs, erect, to 4 m tall. Young branches puberulent. Stipules linear, ca. 1 cm; petiole 1.5-3 cm, slender; leaf blade sub­orbicular, 3-7 × 4-8 cm, papery, abaxially tomentose, adaxially glabrous, base cordate, 7-9-veined, apex bifid, lobes rounded at apex. Inflorescence a lateral raceme, 1-3-flowered; pedicel short; bracts and bracteoles linear, 4-7 mm. Flower buds fusiform, 2 cm, puberulent. Hypanthium turbinate, 5 mm. Calyx split spathaceously at anthesis. Petals light yellowish, subequal, broadly obovate, 4-5.5 × 3-4 cm, subsessile. Fertile stamens 10, unequal; filaments 1-2 cm, puberulent at base. Ovary stalked, tomentose; style slender, glabrous; stigma peltate, small. Legume flat, linear, 7-15 × 1.2-1.5 cm, sutures not ridged; valves leathery, splitting on the tree to release 6-12 seeds. Seeds brownish, compressed, 6-8 mm in diameter (Flora of China Editorial Committee, 2015).

Soil drainage

• free

Soil reaction

• acid
• neutral

Soil texture

• light
• medium

B. tomentosa spreads by seeds. Fruits split on the tree to release 6-12 seeds/legume. Seeds can also be dispersed by water and by humans (Roux, 2005; Orwa et al., 2009; PROTA, 2015).

B. tomentosa is a fast growing shrub with the potential to invade and displace native vegetation: it is now invading insular forests in Cuba (Oviedo Prieto et al., 2012

• Proved invasive outside its native range
• Has a broad native range
• Abundant in its native range
• Highly adaptable to different environments
• Is a habitat generalist
• Tolerates, or benefits from, cultivation, browsing pressure, mutilation, fire etc
• Pioneering in disturbed areas
• Tolerant of shade
• Highly mobile locally
• Benefits from human association (i.e. it is a human commensal)
• Long lived
• Fast growing
• Has high reproductive potential

• Damaged ecosystem services
• Ecosystem change/ habitat alteration
• Modification of successional patterns
• Monoculture formation
• Threat to/ loss of native species

• Competition - monopolizing resources
• Competition - smothering
• Rapid growth

• Highly likely to be transported internationally deliberately
• Difficult to identify/detect in the field

B. tomentosa is primarily cultivated as an ornamental shrub. It is also used as a hedge plant along fences or between blocks on agricultural lands. Trees yield a fibre suitable for making baskets. The wood of B. tomentosa is used to make rafters for huts. Leaves are used to manufacture a yellow dye and as a fodder for goats.

This species also has widespread medicinal uses including as a febrifugal, antidiarrhoeal and antidysenteric remedy, and it is also used as an astringent. The fruit is said to be diuretic, and the seed is eaten in India as a tonic and aphrodisiac (Orwa et al., 2009).