Bauhinia malabarica
Roxb.
Malabar ebony, Mountain ebony
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(c) Dinesh Valke, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)
iNaturalist· cc-by-sa
(c) Dinesh Valke, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)
iNaturalist· cc-by-nc
(c) Radha Veach, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
Description
A small to large tree. It grows 3-5 m high but can be up to 17 m high. The trunk branches near the base. It loses its leaves during the year. The leaves are alternate and smooth. The base is slightly heart shaped. The tip is notched. The leaves are 1-20 cm long. The flowers are white or pink. The fruit is a flat pod. The pods are long. They can be 25-30 cm long. They contain many seeds. The pod gradually tapers to the tip. The pod has an irregular network of veins.
Edible Uses
Young leaves are cooked as a vegetable and used to flavour soups, stews, meat and fish dishes. Young seeds are cooked and eaten. The flowers are eaten cooked.
Traditional Uses
The leaves are used to flavour dishes. They can be used in soups, stews or meat and fish dishes. Young leaves are cooked as a vegetable. Young seeds are cooked and eaten. The flowers are eaten cooked.
Distribution
It is a tropical plant. It grows in Nepal at 200-1200 m altitude. It grows on open hillsides. It grows in areas with a rainfall of 1,000 - 3,000 mm each year. In Indonesia it grows from sea level to 150 m above sea level.
Where It Grows
Asia, Australia, Cambodia, East Timor, Himalayas, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Northeastern India, Pacific, Philippines, SE Asia, Sikkim, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Vietnam,
Cultivation
Plants are grown from seed. It can also be grown by cuttings or air-layering. Seeds can be sown directly in the field or put in a nursery and transplanted.
Production
It is fairly fast growing.
Other Information
It is a cultivated food plant in the Western Ghats.
Notes
There are about 250-350 Bauhinia species. Most are in the tropics. Also as Caesalpinaceae.
Nutrition
| Part | Moisture | kJ | kcal | Protein | Vit A | Vit C | Iron | Zinc |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leaves | 86.9 | 197 | 47 | 3.4 | — | — | 0.3 | — |
| Seeds | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Synonyms
Also Known As
Alibangbang, Amili, Amil tanki, Amli, Amlosa, Bentjuluk, Bwegyin, Chinbyit, Hanthar, Karmai, Khormang, Kotra, Malabar orchid tree, Phak xiao, Pohon bauhinia malabar, Pulishinta, Seaw, Selik, Shin-le-yat, Som siew, Tanki, Tenga kotra
References (36)
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- Wild edible plants of Himachal Pradesh
