Bauhinia once again

[sibdas ghosh]

Sending the pics once again. B. variegata or purpurea?
Pranti- Jan )9

[Dinesh Valke]

... B. variegata

 

Here is very good elaboration given to me from Tabish ji (of Flowers of India):

Strange as it may sound, B. purpurea color ranges from deep purple to nearly white, with only a streak of purple on one petal (a fact rarely mentioned). The petals of B. purpurea are narrow, and quite far apart, so that they do not overlap with each other. B. variegata has broader petals which are almost overlapping. The ribbed buds (seen in your pic) are another indicator. Flowering time is another indicator - B. variegata flowers Jan-April, while B. purpurea flowers Oct-Dec. B. variegata has 5 stamens, while B. purpurea has exactly 3 stamens.

 

Regards.

[Kenneth Greby]

Really can't be positive at this resolution. Is this a garden tree? Were there pods present?  If not and it is a garden tree, it could be B. x blakeana (Hong Kong Orchid Tree, a sterile hybrid between B. variegata and B. purpurea.) Regards-- Ken Greby Palmetto Bay, Florida USA --- On Sat, 1/17/09, sibdas ghosh <sibda...@gmail.com> wrote:

[Dinesh Valke]

I agree; I did not consider the garden varieties.

Thanks very much, Ken.

Regards.

[Padmanabhan Geetha]

Sometime ago I too had posted a Bauhinia, which was identified as B variegata. In the light of current conversation, I sent it again to know whether it is variegata or the hybrid? No pods were present in it and it was of moderate height probably reaching 10ft. I shall of course watch to see if it develops pods this year.

Please do let me have your views
best wishes
geetha

[sibdas ghosh]

It is a good point. When I visit the place next time, I shall look into whether the plant is a sterile one. Thanks

--
Sibdas Ghosh

[Anand Kumar Bhatt]

It came out somewhere that 5 stamens would mean variegata. Blakeana has only 3 stamens as in Pradeep Krishen' book.

akbhatt

[Kenneth Greby]

Greetings--  Here in the USA (California, Florida), B. variegata blooms in spring, typically March/April, and almost always sets copious amounts of pods, even on young trees. Bees are almost always actively foraging as weather warms, ensuring pollination.  B. purpurea and B. x blakeana bloom together in the fall at the end of the growing season. (B. purpurea does not survive in California's cool Mediterranean climate, though B. x blakeana does. Both species thrive in Florida). Pods on B. purpurea are also copiously produced where it grows here, also on young trees.  Bloom time (fall versus spring) and pod presence (though it can't be guaranteed if pollinators are absent) are they easiest ways to distinguish the various species, at least here in the US.

Regards-- Ken Greby Palmetto Bay, Florida USA