Lysiphyllum hookeri
(F. Muell.) Pedley
Hooker's Bauhinia, Mountain ebony
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(c) eillsajah, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
What to Eat
Edible parts: Nectar
Nectar - raw. The flowers secrete a considerable quantity of nectar that can either be sucked out or washed out with water. It can be used as a sweetening or to make a drink. A gum obtained from the plant is edible.
Where to Find It
A tropical plant. It grows in inland and dry coastal areas. It is resistant to drought but damaged by frost. It is usually in heavy textured soils. It suits hardiness zones 11-12. Brisbane Botanical Gardens.
Australia, Hawaii, Pacific, SE Asia, USA,
How to Identify
A small tree. It loses many leaves during the year. It grows about 9 m tall and spreads 3-6 m wide. The bark is dark grey. The leaves have 2 lobes which are joined at the base. They are partly folded like butterfly wings. The leaflets are 2-3.5 cm long by 1-2 cm wide. The fruit are large flat pods. They are red when young and dry to dark brown. They are 3-5 cm long by 2-4 cm wide. There are 8-10 seeds.
How to Grow
Plants can be grown from treated seed. They are put into hot water before sowing.
Propagation: Seed - it has a hard seedcoat and may benefit from scarification before sowing to speed up germination. This can usually be done by pouring a small amount of nearly boiling water on the seeds (being careful not to cook them!) and then soaking them for 12 - 24 hours in warm water. By this time they should have imbibed moisture and swollen - if they have not, then carefully make a nick in the seedcoat (being careful not to damage the embryo) and soak for a further 12 hours before sowing.
Medicinal Uses
A gum obtained from the plant is used as a healing agent.
Other Uses
The wood is of a dark-reddish hue. It is supple and heavy. It could be used for veneers.
Wikipedia
Source ↗Lysiphyllum hookeri is a species of small tree endemic to Queensland, Australia, of the legume plant family Fabaceae. These trees are known by a variety of common names, including pegunny, alibangbang, Hooker's bauhinia, white bauhinia, mountain ebony and Queensland ebony.
Notes
There are about 250-350 Bauhinia species. Most are in the tropics. Also as Caesalpinaceae.
Names & Synonyms
Pegunny, Alibangbang
References (15)
- Barwick, M., 2004, Tropical and Subtropical Trees. A Worldwide Encyclopedic Guide. Thames and Hudson p 47 (As Bauhinia binata)
- Bodkin, F., 1991, Encyclopedia Botanica. Cornstalk publishing, p 135 (As Bauhinia hookeri)
- Calvert, G., 2010, The Burdekin Delta Tree Guide. Lower Burdekin Landcare Association., Inc., Ayr p 115
- Cribb, A.B. & J.W., 1976, Wild Food in Australia, Fontana. p 182 (As Bauhinia hookeri)
- Etherington, K., & Imwold, D., (Eds), 2001, Botanica's Trees & Shrubs. The illustrated A-Z of over 8500 trees and shrubs. Random House, Australia. p 121 (As Bauhinia hookeri)
- Facciola, S., 1998, Cornucopia 2: a Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications, p 66 (As Bauhinia hookeri)
- Flora of Australia Volume 12, Mimosaceae (excl. Acacia) Caesalpiniaceae. Melbourne: CSIRO Australia (1998) p 164 (As Bauhinia hookeri)
- Hibbert, M., 2002, The Aussie Plant Finder 2002, Florilegium. p 39 (As Bauhinia hookeri)
- Leiper, G & Houser, J., Mutooroo. Plant Use by Australian Aboriginal People. Assembly press, Queensland. p 54
- Lord, E.E., & Willis, J.H., 1999, Shrubs and Trees for Australian gardens. Lothian. p 12
- Nicholson, N & H., 1994, Australian Rainforest Plants 4, Terania Rainforest Publishing. NSW. p 45 (As Lysiphyllum hookeri)
- Staples, G.W. and Herbst, D.R., 2005, A tropical Garden Flora. Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu, Hawaii. p 306 (As Bauhinia hookeri)
- Townsend, K., 1994, Across the Top. Gardening with Australian Plants in the tropics. Society for Growing Australian Plants, Townsville Branch Inc. p 287 (As Bauhinia hookeri)
- Townsend, K., 1999, Field Guide to Plants of the Dry Tropics. Society for Growing Australian Plants, Townsville Branch Inc. p 67 (As Bauhinia hookeri)
- Trans. & Proc. Philos. Inst. Victoria 3:51. 1859
