Silver butterfly tree
Bauhinia rufescens

Family: Fabaceae

What it is like

A shrub or small tree. It grows 3-10 m high. The bark is grey and smooth but becomes scaly when old. It has very tough, leathery, silvery leaves. The flowers are small and white. The fruit are curling pods which explode. They are 10 cm long and twisted. There are 4-10 seeds

There are about 250-350 Bauhinia species. Most are in the tropics. Also as Caesalpinaceae.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows in the dry savannah especially on river banks. It grows in the Sahel. It can grow in arid places. It can grow in coastal sands. It grows between 200-800 m above sea level.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa (country/location of origin), Asia, Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinée, Guinea-Bissau, India, Indonesia, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Sahel, SE Asia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sudan, West Africa

How it is used for food

Edible parts

Fruit, pods

How it is grown

Plants are grown from seeds. The seeds are boiled and allowed to cool slowly.

Its other names

Local names

Bauhinia kharoub tree, Bauhinia nammare tree, Dirga, Jiga, Jinkiliza, Jirga, Matsagi, Namani, Namari, Nammary, Pohon bohinia kulkul, Randa

Synonyms

Adenolobus rufescens (Lam.) Schmitz; Bauhinia adansoniana Guil. et Perrott; Piliostigma rufescens (Lam.) Benth.;