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Useful Tropical Plants

Bougainvillea spectabilis

Willd.

Nyctaginaceae


The name is often applied uncritically to material of hybrid origin[
266
Title
Flora of China
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/
Publisher
Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis.
Year
1994
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available.
].

+ Synonyms

Bougainvillea brasiliensis Raeusch.

Bougainvillea virescens Choisy

Josepha augusta Vell.

Common Name: Bougainvillea

Bougainvillea spectabilis
Plant grown as a shrub or a screen
Photograph by: Forest and Kim Starr
Creative Commons Attribution 3.0
Bougainvillea spectabilis Bougainvillea spectabilis Bougainvillea spectabilis

General Information

Bougainvillea is an evergreen, climbing shrub producing stems up to 10 metres long[
200
Title
The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Publication
 
Author
Huxley. A.
Publisher
MacMillan Press
Year
1992
ISBN
0-333-47494-5
Description
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
]. The plant can support itself on other plants by means of thorns carried in the leaf axils, though in cultivation it might need tying in to pergolas etc[
200
Title
The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Publication
 
Author
Huxley. A.
Publisher
MacMillan Press
Year
1992
ISBN
0-333-47494-5
Description
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].
A drink can be make from the flower bracts. The plant is widely grown as an ornamental from the warm temperate to the tropical zones, and is often grown in greenhouses in climates that are unsuitable for it.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

200
Title
The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Publication
 
Author
Huxley. A.
Publisher
MacMillan Press
Year
1992
ISBN
0-333-47494-5
Description
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.

Range

S. America - southern, central, eastern and northern Brazil.

Habitat

Rainforests.

Properties

Edibility Rating *  *
Medicinal Rating *  *
HabitEvergreen Climber
Height10.00 m
Cultivation StatusOrnamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

A plant of the tropics, it can also be grown in warm temperate and subtropical areas. It is adapted to climates with a distinct dry season and does not flower well in perpetually humid conditions[
266
Title
Flora of China
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/
Publisher
Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis.
Year
1994
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available.
].
Prefers a sunny position in a rich, well-drained soil[
200
Title
The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Publication
 
Author
Huxley. A.
Publisher
MacMillan Press
Year
1992
ISBN
0-333-47494-5
Description
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].

Edible Uses

The flower bracts are used for making an attractive, violet-coloured drink, known as 'Agua de Buganvilia'[
301
Title
Cornucopia II
Publication
 
Author
Facciola. S.
Publisher
Kampong Publications, California.
Year
1998
ISBN
0-9628087-2-5
Description
The second edition of an excellent guide to the edible uses of plants, though it does not give any details of cultivation etc.
]. It is said to have a refreshingly delicate taste[
301
Title
Cornucopia II
Publication
 
Author
Facciola. S.
Publisher
Kampong Publications, California.
Year
1998
ISBN
0-9628087-2-5
Description
The second edition of an excellent guide to the edible uses of plants, though it does not give any details of cultivation etc.
].

Medicinal

The plant contains pinitol, which is considered to be helpful in the treatment of non-insulin diabetes[
360
Title
Philippine Medicinal Plants
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.stuartxchange.org/CompleteList.html
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A lovely site, giving brief details on the medicinal uses of several hundred (over 400 at the last count) plants in the Philippines, plus a picture of each plant.
].
A study of aqueous and methanolic extracts of the leaves has shown good glucose tolerance and significantly reduced intestinal glucosidase activity, with regeneration of insulin-producing cells and increase in plasma insulin[
360
Title
Philippine Medicinal Plants
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.stuartxchange.org/CompleteList.html
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A lovely site, giving brief details on the medicinal uses of several hundred (over 400 at the last count) plants in the Philippines, plus a picture of each plant.
]. Results suggest a potential for the development of new neutraceutical treatment for diabetes[
360
Title
Philippine Medicinal Plants
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.stuartxchange.org/CompleteList.html
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A lovely site, giving brief details on the medicinal uses of several hundred (over 400 at the last count) plants in the Philippines, plus a picture of each plant.
].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed -
Cuttings - they can be placed directly into their permanent position so long as it is not too exposed or excessively sunny and arid[
200
Title
The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Publication
 
Author
Huxley. A.
Publisher
MacMillan Press
Year
1992
ISBN
0-333-47494-5
Description
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].
Air layering.
Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2024-03-29. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Bougainvillea+spectabilis>

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