African plume
StarBauhinia galpinii
Synonyms: Perlebia galpinii
Western Herbalism Properties
Traditional Uses
In southern African traditional medicine various parts of Bauhinia galpinii are used medicinally: the leaves for epilepsy and convulsions, the bark and leaves for diarrhoea, the bark and root for stomach spasms, the seeds for amenorrhoea, and the root for infertility (Maroyi, 2013). Pharmacological work supports several uses, with leaf extracts delaying chemically induced seizures in mice and inhibiting bacterial growth in vitro (van Vuuren et al., 2019).
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Botanical Description
Bauhinia galpinii, commonly called the pride-of-De-Kaap or red orchid bush, is a sprawling, semi-scrambling shrub or small tree of the legume family (Fabaceae) reaching three to five metres, often spreading wider than tall. Its grey-barked branches bear distinctive two-lobed, butterfly-shaped leaves cleft about a third of the way to the base, with rounded lobes. The showy flowers, produced in summer, are brick-red to orange with five spoon-shaped petals borne in short clusters, attracting butterflies and sunbirds. The fruit is a hard, flattened, woody pod that twists open explosively to release the seeds. Native to southern and south-central Africa, it grows in bushveld, on rocky hillsides and along forest margins, and is widely grown as an ornamental.
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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