Bauhinia acuminata L.

Kupu-kupu putih (Bauhinia acuminata) is a shrub up to 3 meters tall from the Fabaceae family that originates from dry monsoon regions of Southeast Asia. Javanese communities use its root for coughs and colds, while in India a decoction of its leaves and bark is used to address asthma attacks. Kupu-kupu putih has proven antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and antidiarrheal activity in research.

The kupu-kupu putih plant can be found growing in well-drained, sunny places on hillsides and plains, and in dry dipterocarp forests, especially in secondary formations, teak forests, and thickets. Its growth is suited to a position in full sun, but can survive growing in partial sun. Prefers fertile, moist, well-drained soil conditions, with a somewhat acidic soil acidity (pH) (5.6-6.5), does not tolerate saline conditions, and this plant grows successfully in various soil types.

• Roots taproot.
• Stem strong, upright, round, many slender branches, sympodial branching system, young twigs usually pubescent, bark grayish-brown, rough, with transverse cracks and bark peeling.
• Leaves single, alternate, broad, ovate and bilobed like a cow's hoof or butterfly wing, with an apical cleft up to 5 cm deep, upper surface (adaxial) dark green and hairless, lower surface (abaxial) light green, pubescent. Lobe tip pointed or tapering and leaf base heart-shaped to rounded, smooth leaf margin.
• Flowers fragrant, with five white petals, petal blade elliptical to oblong (oblanceolate), hairless. Stamens about 10, yellow, and stigma green. Inflorescence a compound raceme, sometimes 3-15 flowers in one raceme, located in the leaf axil.
• Fruit a pod, linear elongated, dark brown, hairless, usually containing 5-12 seeds, fruit surface smooth, hairless (glabrous).
• Seeds somewhat round (suborbicular), up to 7-10 mm in diameter.

Plant propagation can be done generatively (seeds).

Alkaloid, flavonoid, tannin, palmitic acid, three phallic acid esters, gallic acid, ursolic acid, essential oil (phytol, sesquiterpenoids β-caryophyllene, caryophyllene oxide, α-humulene, isomethyl-α-ionone, α-farnesene, β-ionone, humulene epoxide, caryophylla-4(12),8(13)-dien-5α-ol, α-muurolol, α-cadinol, isoaromadendrene), phenolic compounds, saponin, glycoside, steroid, terpenoid, cardiac glycosides, kaempferol, quercetin, apigenin, quercetin derivative (quercetin-3-glucoside).

Treats asthma, coughs and colds, headaches, hypertension, bladder stones, venereal disease, skin diseases (including leprosy), burns, nasal ulceration, has thrombolytic properties (breaking down or dissolving dangerous blood clots in blood vessels), cytotoxic, antidiarrheal, antibacterial, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, anthelmintic, antioxidant, and hemolytic properties.

Panawar saribu (Sunda), Galela (Halmahera), Kupu-kupu (Malay).