''Bauhinia forficata'', commonly known as Brazilian orchid tree, is a species of

flowering Flowers, also known as blooms and blossoms, are the reproductive structures of flowering plants ( angiosperms). Typically, they are structured in four circular levels, called whorls, around the end of a stalk. These whorls include: calyx, m ...

tree In botany, a tree is a perennial plant with an elongated stem, or trunk, usually supporting branches and leaves. In some usages, the definition of a tree may be narrower, e.g., including only woody plants with secondary growth, only ...

in the

pea Pea (''pisum'' in Latin) is a pulse or fodder crop, but the word often refers to the seed or sometimes the pod of this flowering plant species. Peas are eaten as a vegetable. Carl Linnaeus gave the species the scientific name ''Pisum sativum' ...

family,

Fabaceae Fabaceae () or Leguminosae,International Code of Nomen ...

, that is native to Brazil.

Taxonomy

''Bauhinia forficata'' was formally described by the German botanist

Johann Heinrich Friedrich Link Johann Heinrich Friedrich Link (2 February 1767 – 1 January 1851) was a German natural history, naturalist and botanist. Biography Link was born at Hildesheim as a son of the minister August Heinrich Link (1738–1783), who taught him love ...

. It belongs to the genus ''

Bauhinia ''Bauhinia'' () is a large genus of flowering plants in the subfamily Cercidoideae and tribe Bauhinieae, in the large flowering plant family Fabaceae, with a pantropical distribution. The genus was named after the Bauhin brothers Gaspard and ...

'', a group comprising more than 300 species distributed throughout tropical regions of Africa, Asia, and South America. The species is a member of the

Fabaceae Fabaceae () or Leguminosae,International Code of Nomen ...

family (also known as Leguminosae). The epithet ''forficata'' refers to this forked or cleft leaf form.

Description

''Bauhinia forficata'' is a medium-sized broadleaf evergreen tree that typically reaches a height of with a

canopy Canopy may refer to: Plants * Canopy (biology), aboveground portion of plant community or crop (including forests) * Canopy (grape), aboveground portion of grapes Religion and ceremonies * Baldachin or canopy of state, typically placed over an a ...

spread ranging from . The species displays a symmetrical crown that may take on a vase-shaped, rounded, or spreading form, and has a dense canopy with a medium texture. Growth is moderate under suitable conditions.

Distribution and habitat

''Bauhinia forficata'' is native to South America, with its natural range extending from the state of

Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro, or simply Rio, is the capital of the Rio de Janeiro (state), state of Rio de Janeiro. It is the List of cities in Brazil by population, second-most-populous city in Brazil (after São Paulo) and the Largest cities in the America ...

Rio Grande do Sul Rio Grande do Sul (, ; ; "Great River of the South") is a Federative units of Brazil, state in the South Region, Brazil, southern region of Brazil. It is the Federative units of Brazil#List, fifth-most populous state and the List of Brazilian s ...

in Brazil. Within the country, it occurs in diverse ecosystems, including the semi-arid

Caatinga Caatinga () is a type of semi-arid tropical vegetation, and an ecoregion characterized by this vegetation in interior northeastern Brazil. The name "Caatinga" comes from the Tupi word '' ka'atinga'', meaning "white forest" or "white vegetat ...

region, forest fragments in the state of

Paraná Paraná, Paranã or Parana may refer to: Geology * Paraná Basin, a sedimentary basin in South America Places In Argentina *Paraná, Entre Ríos, a city * Paraná Department, a part of Entre Ríos Province In Brazil *Paraná (state), a state ...

, and along the Amazon coastal areas. The species is not indigenous to North America. It typically inhabits well-drained soils and performs best in full sun or areas with high, intermittent shade, such as beneath open pine canopies. Although it is tolerant of drought, the plant benefits from occasional irrigation or afternoon shade during hot, dry periods to prevent flower

desiccation Desiccation is the state of extreme dryness, or the process of extreme drying. A desiccant is a hygroscopic (attracts and holds water) substance that induces or sustains such a state in its local vicinity in a moderately sealed container. The ...

. In

alkaline soils Alkali, or alkaline, soils are clay soils with high pH (greater than 8.5), a poor soil structure and a low infiltration capacity. Often they have a hard calcareous layer at 0.5 to 1 metre depth. Alkali soils owe their unfavorable physico ...

, it may exhibit interveinal

chlorosis In botany, chlorosis is a condition in which leaves produce insufficient chlorophyll. As chlorophyll is responsible for the green color of leaves, chlorotic leaves are pale, yellow, or yellow-white. The affected plant has little or no ability to ...

due to nutrient imbalances. ''Bauhinia forficata'' is suited to the

United States Department of Agriculture The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is an executive department of the United States federal government that aims to meet the needs of commercial farming and livestock food production, promotes agricultural trade and producti ...

(USDA) hardiness zones 10A through 11.

References

External links

* *
Research identifying useful chemical extracted from Pata de vaca
{{Taxonbar, from=Q2568862 forficata Trees of Brazil Trees of Peru