Bauhinia sp.

Sieo

Fabaceae Edible: Leaves

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Wikimedia Commons - Vengolis

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Wikimedia Commons - Vengolis

Description

A climbing plant. The leaves are simple. They can be entire of have 2 lobes or 2 leaflets. There are often bristles on the midrib between the lobes. The flower clusters have flowers which can be white, pink or red. The fruit are pods which are narrow and compressed. There are 2 or more seeds.

Edible Uses

The young leaves and shoots are eaten after being blanched to make them white.

Traditional Uses

The young leaves and shoots are eaten after after being made white.

This uses section is brief — help expand it

Distribution

A tropical plant.

Where It Grows

Asia, Indochina, SE Asia, Thailand,

Notes

There are a very large number of species of Bauhinia. There are about 250-350 Bauhinia species. Most are in the tropics. Also as Caesalpinaceae.

References (2)

Altschul, S.V.R., 1973, Drugs and Foods from Little-known Plants. Notes in Harvard University Herbaria. Harvard Univ. Press. Massachusetts. no. 1679
Jacquat, C., 1990, Plants from the Markets of Thailand. D.K. Book House p 43