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Gorgeous orchid
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The `Mandaram' plant is admired for its attractive flowers, and is used mainly for puja.
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BAUHINIA PURPUREA or `The Orchid tree' belongs to the family Caesalpinia. Bauhinia is a gorgeous, large tree with roundish leaves borne in pairs. The tree gets its name from the double leaves, which reminded some botanists of two French brothers, the Bauhins, both famous botanists. The exotic flowers in white, pink and purple, about 10-cms across, resemble an orchid.
Bauhinia purpurae starts flowering from September onwards and will be full in bloom till January. It is mainly planted as wayside tree. Fruits are strap-shaped and 25-cms in length. The tree is hardy and sun loving, and can be easily raised from seeds. The plant needs occasional manuring and good watering. Compared to bauhinia purpurea, the orchid tree Bauhinia acuminata is small. It is only a shrub reaching about 1-½ to 2 m in height and is often seen planted near temples and in house-gardens for its white flowers. Flowers are produced terminally in corymbs. As this tree is perpetually blooming, it should be given good manure and watering.
As the flowers of the plant are used for puja, it is often planted singly. Sometimes, it is also planted in groups in the garden, as a showy specimen on large lawns or at the back of shrubbery. The plant is commonly known in Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam as Mandaram.
CHITRA RADHAKRISHNAN
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