Kanchon or Orchid tree, Bauhinia variegata
Rokto kanchon or Orchid tree ( Bauhinia variegata , family: Caesalpiniaceae) is a small or medium-sized deciduous tree with numerous and scattered branches. Trunk is short. Bark is rough, grey-colored. As an ornamental plant it is found in parks, gardens, botanical gardens in Bangladesh. The home of the beautiful flowering plant is South and Southeast Asia. Other names: Rokto kanchon, Lal kanchon. It can be easily identified by looking at its leaves. Suddenly it looks like a pair of wings of butterfly. These are green, ovate, parltly bilobed, shiny, 8-12 cm long, apex emerginate, 11-15 veins, long-petioled. Flowers are magenta with reddish tone, edge slightly white, sweet-scented, 5-6 cm wide, borne on inflorescence. Petals 5, sepals 5; stamens 5, uneven. It is an iconic flower of spring of Indian subcontinent, especially in Greater Bangla. It blooms during February-April. Its white flowers are also seen in Bangladesh, and of the same species. Fruit is a pod, dehisc...