Cow's-foot
StarBauhinia forficata
Synonyms: Pauletia forficata, Inga forficata
Western Herbalism Properties
Traditional Uses
In Brazilian folk medicine the leaves of Bauhinia forficata, known as pata-de-vaca or unha-de-vaca, are taken as an infusion or decoction principally for diabetes mellitus and as a mild diuretic; the plant is included in the Brazilian Pharmacopoeia and the RENISUS list of plants of interest to the Unified Health System (Silva & Filho, 2002; Pepato et al., 2002; Salgueiro et al., 2016).
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Botanical Description
Bauhinia forficata Link (Fabaceae, subfamily Cercidoideae) is a small unarmed or sparsely spinose tree 5-9 m tall, native to subtropical and tropical South America, especially southern and southeastern Brazil, Paraguay and northern Argentina, where it grows in semideciduous forest, gallery forest and disturbed roadsides. The bark is grey and lightly fissured. Leaves are alternate, simple and conspicuously bilobed in a cow's-hoof shape 6-12 cm long, with 9-11 palmate veins arising from the base, giving rise to the vernacular names pata-de-vaca and cow's-foot. Flowers are solitary or in few-flowered racemes, large and showy, with five white narrowly clawed petals about 7-10 cm long and ten free stamens of unequal length, opening at dusk and pollinated by hawkmoths and bats. The fruit is a flat, oblong, dehiscent legume 12-20 cm long containing several flattened brown seeds. It is widely cultivated as an ornamental street tree.
This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace professional medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before using any herbal remedy, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, or taking medications.
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