| Applications |
The entire plant of Purple Camel’s Foot are medicinally valuable, so it has traditionally been adopted into folk medicines throughout various regions, including China, India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia and Pakistan. Recently, some more scientific researches revealed the therapeutic functions of Purple Camel’s Foot leaves, which includes, but is not limited to, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antioxidant and wound-healing activity. However, the root bark is extremely toxic and should not be ingested. |
| Relationship with Hong Kong |
Purple Camel’s Foot is the female parent of Hong Kong Orchid Tree (Bauhinia × blakeana Dunn), which is the City Flower of Hong Kong. The two species, together with Camel's Foot Tree (Bauhinia variegata L.), look similar to each other, but can be easily differentiated. The lobe apex on the leaves of Purple Camel’s Foot is usually more pointed (acute), whereas those of the other two are more rounded. The petal of Purple Camel’s Foots is narrower and without stripes, while petals from other two are wider with stripes. The Purple Camel’s Foot blossoms during October to December, while the flowering period of the Camel’s Foot Tree falls in March, and the Hong Kong Orchid Tree blossoms throughout November to March. |
