Bauhinia thonningii
Schum.
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(c) Marco Schmidt, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA)
iNaturalist· cc-by
(c) Mathew Rees, some rights reserved (CC BY)
iNaturalist· cc-by
(c) Mathew Rees, some rights reserved (CC BY)
Summary
Source: WikipediaBauhinia thonningii is an evergreen tree reaching 5 m tall and 4 m wide with medium growth. Bee-pollinated flowers require cross-pollination. Capable of nitrogen fixation. Adapts to light sandy, medium loamy, and heavy clay soils, preferring well-drained conditions and tolerating nutritionally poor soils. Suitable for mildly acid to mildly alkaline pH. Requires full sun and tolerates dry or moist soil. Hardy to UK zone 10.
Description
A shrub or small tree. It can grow 20 m tall with a trunk 20 cm across. The leaves have 2 lobes. They are 5-17 cm long by 6-19 cm wide. The flowers are white. The pods are 12-30 cm long by 3-6.5 cm wide. The seeds are dark brown and 7-9 mm long by 5-7 mm wide and 3-4 mm thick.
Edible Uses
Edible Parts: Fruit Leaves Oil Edible Uses: Drink Gum Oil Fruit - raw or cooked. The pulp surrounding the seed is eaten, it has a sweet flavour and is eaten mainly by children and travellers. The brown pod is cracked open, the seeds removed, and the pulp eaten as a snack or as emergency food. It is normally only eaten in small amounts. The fruits are collected in large quantities during famine periods. They are then pounded and the powder soaked in water, the liquid stirred and drunk. The flat, brown, woody pods are 15 - 20cm long. They persist on the tree but eventually decay on the ground to free the pea-sized seeds. Tender young leaves - raw or cooked. Chewed to relieve thirst. The leaves are very occasionally eaten as a cooked vegetable. The leaves are sometimes cooked in water, then the water is used for cooking millet. Carbon Farming - Staple Crop: balanced carb.
Traditional Uses
The sour shoots are used in porridge or chewed raw. The dry fruit pulp is eaten.
This uses section is brief — help expand it
Medicinal Uses
Antitussive Contraceptive Mouthwash Skin Stomachic Tender leaves are chewed and the juice swallowed to treat stomach-ache, coughs and snakebite. The ash obtained from burnt leaves is rubbed into snakebite wounds after scarification in order to hasten healing. The leaves are combined with those of mpandanjobvu and the liquid used to relieve the inflammation from sore eyes. The roots are used to treat prolonged menstruation, haemorrhage and miscarriage in women and also for the treatment of coughs, colds, body pain and STDs. An infusion of the root, combined with the root of the wild cow pea (Vigna sp.), is said to be a contraceptive. It is drunk for seven consecutive days during which time no intercourse is allowed. An infusion of the bark is used to treat coughs, colds, chest pains and snakebite. An infusion of the bark is used for the cure of an infection of the gums called ciseye.
Distribution
It is a tropical plant.
Where It Grows
Africa, Angola, Central Africa, Congo DR, East Africa, Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria, Uganda, West Africa, Zambia,
Cultivation
It is found in areas where the mean annual temperature can be around 20°c, and the mean annual rainfall is in the range 600 - 1,500mm. Succeeds on a variety of soils. Likes a rich, alluvial soil. Heavy clayey soils or medium loamy soils are preferred. The tree usually yields heavy crops of seedpods. The plant has deep roots and can sucker freely. It also responds well to coppicing and pollarding. A dioecious species, both male and female forms need to be grown if fruit and seed are required. This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria; these bacteria form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby. Carbon Farming - Cultivation: regional crop. Management: standard.
Propagation
Seed - it has a hard seedcoat and benefits from scarification before sowing in order to speed up and improve germination. This can usually be done by pouring a small amount of nearly boiling water on the seeds (being careful not to cook them!) and then soaking them for 12 - 24 hours in warm water. By this time they should have imbibed moisture and swollen - if they have not, then carefully make a nick in the seedcoat (being careful not to damage the embryo) and soak for a further 12 hours before sowing. Suckers.
Other Uses
Dye Fibre Fodder Fuel Gum Mulch Oil Pioneer Soap Soil reclamation String Tannin Waterproofing Wood Agroforestry Uses: A pioneer species within its native area, where it tends to colonize clearings and fallows. Since it is a legume, and fixes atmospheric nitrogen, it might be a useful species to use when restoring woodland or setting up a woodland garden. A deep rooting species that produces considerable amounts of leaf litter, it can be used in soil protection initiatives. The use of the leaf litter as a mulch enhances soil fertility because the leaves decompose slowly. The tree competes very little with maize if left in fields and pollarded to reduce shade. Other Uses A fibre from the inner bark is used to make string, ropes and cloth. A red-brown dye can be obtained from the macerated bark. A blue dye can be obtained from the seeds and pods. A black dye is obtained from the roasted seed. The bark contains up to 18% tannins. The roots are a source of tannins. The inner bark is said to contain a gum that sweels in water and so can be used for caulking boats etc. The unripe seedpods are used as a soap substitute. The ashes of the plant are used for making soap. The seeds contain oil. No more information is given. The heartwood is pinkish to dark brown; the sapwood is light brown. The wood is straight-grained. It is used for poles, grain mortars, tool handles, spoons and bedsteads. The wood is used for fuel. Carbon Farming - Agroforestry Services: nitrogen. Fodder: pod. Special Uses Carbon Farming Coppice Food Forest Nitrogen Fixer
Synonyms
Also Known As
Epapai, Mussequessa, Niama, Ogali
References (3)
- Aparicio, H., et al, 2021, Ethnobotanical study of medicinal and edible plants used in Nhamacoa area, Manica provinceMozambique. South African Journal of Botany 139 (2021) 318-328
- Masters, T., 2021, Traditional food plants of the upper Aswa River catchment of northern Uganda—a cultural crossroads. Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine (2021) 17:24
- Mutie, F. G., 2020, Conservation of Wild Food Plants and Their Potential for Combatting Food Insecurity in Kenya as Exemplified by the Drylands of Kitui County. Plants 2020, 9, 1017
