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12(2): Medicinal and poisonous plants 2

Caesalpinia pulcherrima (L.) Swartz

This article should be read together with the article on the genus: Caesalpinia in the Handbook volume indicated above in this database.

Observ. bot.: 66 (1791).

Poinciana pulcherrima L. (1753).

Peacock flower (En). Indonesia: bunga merak, kembang merak, kembang patra. Philippines: bulaklak ng paraiso (Tagalog), caballero (Tagalog, Sp). Cambodia: dok fang, kan gok meas, fang ham. Thailand: khwaang yoi (eastern), som pho (northern), haang nokyuung thai (central). Vietnam: di[eej]p ta, di[eej]p c[us]ng, kim ph[uw][owj]ng.

Caesalpinia pulcherrima originates in tropical America, and is now found throughout the tropics. Cultivated throughout South-East Asia and naturalized in some regions.

In general a decoction or infusion of roots, bark, leaves or flowers is used as a purgative and emmenagogue. According to the dosage it may be used as a mouthwash for teeth or gums, a remedy for colds and fevers, or even as a strong abortifacient. In Papua New Guinea, the roots are used as an abortifacient, whereas the leaves are taken to relieve constipation. In Vietnam, the roots are used as an emmenagogue in folk medicine. Caesalpinia pulcherrima is a popular ornamental throughout the tropics.

A shrub or small tree up to 5 m tall, branches unarmed or with a few straight prickles; leaves paripinnate, rachis 10—40 cm long, with 5—9 pairs of pinnae, stipules subulate, minute, caducous, leaflets opposite, 6—12 pairs per pinna, base unequal, rounded, apex rounded to retuse; raceme or panicle axillary and terminal, 20—50 cm long; flowers bisexual, sepals 10—15 mm x 5—7 mm, petals 10—25 mm x 6—8 mm, stamens very far exserted, ovary with 8—12 ovules; pod 6—12 cm x 1.5—2 cm, 8—10-seeded; seed slightly rectangular, brown or black. Caesalpinia pulcherrima is locally naturalized in Malesia.

[135] Burkill, I.H., 1966. A dictionary of the economic products of the Malay Peninsula. Revised reprint. 2 volumes. Ministry of Agriculture and Co-operatives, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Vol. 1 (A—H) pp. 1—1240, Vol. 2 (I—Z) pp. 1241—2444.
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[256] Ding Hou, Larsen, K. & Larsen, S.S., 1996. Caesalpiniaceae (Leguminosae-Caesalpinioideae). In: Kalkman, C., Kirkup, D.W., Nooteboom, H.P., Stevens, P.F. & de Wilde, W.J.J.O. (Editors): Flora Malesiana. Series 1, Vol. 12(2). Rijksherbarium/Hortus Botanicus, Leiden, the Netherlands. pp. 409—730.
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[418] Holdsworth, D.K., 1977. Medicinal plants of Papua New Guinea. Technical Paper No 175. South Pacific Commission, Noumea, New Caledonia. 123 pp.
[585] Larsen, K., Larsen, S.S. & Vidal, J.E., 1980. Légumineuses-Caesalpinioïdées [Leguminosae-Caesalpinioideae]. In: Vidal, J.E. & Vidal, Y. (Editors): Flore du Cambodge, du Laos et du Viêtnam [Flora of Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam]. Vol. 18. Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France. 227 pp.
[739] Nguyen Van Duong, 1993. Medicinal plants of Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos. Mekong Printing, Santa Ana, California, United States. 528 pp.
[778] Patil, A.D., Freyer, A.J., Webb, R.L., Zuber, G., Reichwein, R., Bean, M.F., Faucette, L. & Johnson, R.K., 1997. Pulcherrimins A—D, novel diterpene dibenzoates from Caesalpinia pulcherrima with selective activity against DNA repair-deficient yeast mutants. Tetrahedron 53(5): 1583—1592.
[810] Quisumbing, E., 1978. Medicinal plants of the Philippines. Katha Publishing Co., Quezon City, the Philippines. 1262 pp.
[818] Rahman, S.M., Hossain, M., Biswas, B.K., Joarder, O.I. & Islam, R., 1993. Micropropagation of Caesalpinia pulcherrima through nodal bud culture of mature tree. Plant Cell, Tissue and Organ Culture 32(3): 363—365.
[1038] Verdcourt, B., 1979. A manual of New Guinea legumes. Botany Bulletin No 11. Office of Forests, Division of Botany, Lae, Papua New Guinea. 645 pp.
[1069] Wijayakusuma, H.M.H., Dalimartha, S. & Wirian, A.S., 1994. Tanaman berkhasiat obat di Indonesia [Medicinal plants in Indonesia]. Vol. 3. Pustaka Kartini, Jakarta, Indonesia. 143 pp.

B. Ibnu Utomo

Utomo, B.I., 2001. Caesalpinia pulcherrima (L.) Swartz. In: van Valkenburg, J.L.C.H. and Bunyapraphatsara, N. (Editors): Plant Resources of South-East Asia No 12(2): Medicinal and poisonous plants 2. PROSEA Foundation, Bogor, Indonesia. Database record: prota4u.org/prosea