COW LEG: CHARACTERISTICS, HABITAT, PROPERTIES, INTAKE, CULTIVATION - BIOLOGY - 2024

The pata de vaca (Bauhinia forficata) is a species of the family Fabaceae commonly known as foot cow, bull leg, false mahogany, palo ox, mahogany country, hoofed cow, tree orchid and Bauhinia. It is a perennial tree that can be up to 10 m tall and is very striking for its large white flowers.

Bauhinia forficata belongs to the second largest family of flowering plants known to date, 600 genera and almost 12 thousand species emerge from them. For its part, B. forficata is found in the Caesalpinioidea subfamily along with 133 other genera.

Bauhinia forficata or cow leg. Source: Valentino Liberali

This plant has simple, alternate, but very striking leaves that resemble the footprint left by the leg of cattle, hence its name. It has petiolate leaves, which are heart-shaped at their base, with an entire margin and bilobed. It is characteristic that the branches present some pubescence. Its bark is fissured and brownish to gray in color and its flowers are large, white and similar to orchid flowers.

The cow leg is used for medicinal purposes for which infusions are made from its leaves and its bark. The bark is used to gargle and clean wounds. In turn, infusions are made from its leaves to treat diabetes, hypoglycemia or for purification.

The wood from the cow leg is used locally for carpentry. It is a very ornamental plant due to the contrast of the white of its flowers with the green of its foliage, a characteristic that makes it ideal for decorating narrow streets.

characteristics

Tree

It is a small tree that measures between 8 and 10 m in height. It develops branches that extend along it and are pubescent to glabrous, flexible and with conical stingers.

The crown of the tree is irregular in shape leading to globose. For its part, the bark shows cracks and is grayish in color.

Leaves

The leaves of these fabaceae are alternate, simple, with grooved petioles 1-3 cm long. In particular, the leaf blades are bilobed and measure between 5-15 cm long and 4-14 cm wide.

On the surface of the upper surface they do not have pubescence, they have a subcoriaceous texture, an obtuse apex, and an entire edge, while the base of the leaves is cordate to rounded. This is where its name "cow's leg" comes from, since the leaf morphology resembles the leg of a cow.

Leaves and flowers of Bauhinia forficata. Source: Franz Xaver

flowers

Regarding their flowering, these plants produce inflorescences in clusters with few large, extraxillary flowers. The flowers are bisexual (hermaphroditic) and have a 5-8 cm calyx and elliptical petals that are white in color and measure between 5-10 cm long and 1-4 cm wide.

As for the androecium, it has ten yellow stamens all fertile and with a curvature at the apex. The filaments are attached at the base; while, the style is long with a bilobed stigma.

The flowering time is between December and February, and pollination is carried out thanks to insects.

Fruit

Like most of the rest of the Fabaceae, the fruit of this plant is a legume with a leathery to woody texture, pendulous, of a chestnut brown color, and can be between 10 and 20 cm long.

It is dehiscent, which means that it opens spontaneously to disperse its content. The fruiting season is between February and May. The pods continue to hang from the branches even though they no longer contain seeds.

Wood

Regarding the characteristics of the wood in this species, it is relatively hard, with a medium weight. The log is yellow, sometimes with ash or pink hues. Its texture is fine and its flavor is irregular, odorless and indistinct.

As far as it was known, the wood was only used for firewood, while now it is used for carpentry or furniture construction in the localities where this tree is found.

Regarding the macroscopic characteristics of the wood, the bark is detachable from the green wood, the bark is released in long ribbons, whose resistant characteristics could be used in the rope industry.

On the other hand, the growth rings are more or less delimited by bands of narrower and darker wood, which are sometimes observed by the presence of terminal or initial parenchyma.

As for the parenchyma, it is visible but not distinct, being practically vasicentric paratracheal; although, the terminal or initial apotracheal parenchyma is also present in fine lines.

On the other hand, the pores are perfectly visible but they are not numerous, they appear solitary or simple. These pores are unevenly distributed in tangential and oblique rows.

Regarding its content, in some glasses there is rubber. Tyloses are rarely seen. Whereas, multiseriate rays predominate.

Taxonomy

The genus name of this species is due to the Swiss botanical brothers Johan Bauhin and Gaspar Bauhin. While, its common name is due to the resemblance of its leaves to the hooves of cattle.

The species Bauhinia forficata Link, is also known by other names such as Bauhinia candicans Benth, and Bauhinia forficata subsp. pruinosa (Vogel) Fortunato & Wunderlin.

Regarding its taxonomic classification, the following is known:

Kingdom: Plantae

Phylum: Tracheophyta.

Class: Magnoliopsida.

Subclass: Magnoliidae.

Superorder: Rosanae.

Order: Fabales.

Family: Fabaceae.

Subfamily: Caesalpinioidea.

Genus: Bauhinia.

Species: Bauhinia forficata Link (1821).

Illustration of Bauhinia forficata. Source: Paul Hermann Wilhelm Taubert (1862-1897)

Habitat and distribution

They are trees native to South America, especially Brazil, eastern Paraguay, northeastern Uruguay and the north central area of ​​Argentina. It is also available in Bolivia and Peru. However, there are those who report Bahuinia forficata as native to Asia.

The B. forficata tree grows grown in gardens, on public sidewalks, and in any area where its seed thrives. Its habitat is terrestrial.

This tree grows in places where drought sometimes occurs, it is also very resistant to the attack of phytopathogens and needs a temperate climate and direct exposure to the sun. It needs well-drained soils since it does not support waterlogging.

In its natural habitat, this tree is achieved by growing in soils rich in organic matter. It is also possible to see them in other parts of the world where they have possibly been introduced, for example in the streets and parks of Barcelona and Madrid.

Health properties

The cow leg plant is used in medicine as a species with diuretic, hypoglycemic, healing, antiseptic and astringent properties. The used parts of this plant are the leaves and the bark. In South American countries it is used to treat diabetes.

In the scientific community, Bauhinia plants arouse great interest because phytochemical studies make it possible to identify chemical markers such as kaempferitrin, which is present in the leaves and helps to explain the hypoglycemic properties of species B. forficata.

The infusions of B. forficata leaves are used especially in Brazil as a diuretic, hypoglycemic, astringent, cleansing tonic, against elephantiasis and in the reduction of glucose in the blood.

Ways of intake

The cow's foot plant is recommended to be taken as an infusion. This infusion is recommended to prepare it using one or two leaves of the plant, and the way it is taken is by ingesting two cups a day permanently while treating a problem.

It is not recommended to drink more than three cups a day, nor to consume this infusion for a long time. Sometimes, infusions are also prepared from the bark, being used to gargle or wash wounds.

Chemical and pharmacological properties

In general, for plants of the genus Bauhinia, a series of metabolites have been isolated from their leaves, especially sterols such as stigmasterol and ẞ-sitosterol, bausplendin, flavones, flavanones and flavonoids with various structures.

Biological studies on ẞ-sitosterol have been around for a long time and are based on its importance in the treatment of hyperlipoproteinemia, atherosclerosis and prostatic adenomas, because it inhibits the absorption of cholesterol.

Likewise, there are anti-inflammatory and antipyretic characteristics that are already known, while others with hydroalcoholic extracts have shown that some species show remarkable analgesic properties.

As for the secondary metabolites, they possess important biological activities; many are of great commercial value such as in the pharmaceutical, agronomic, food and cosmetic areas.

In this sense, from the pharmaceutical point of view there is a greater interest in the large amount of substances found in this species. These substances can be flavonoids, tannins, depsidones, reducing sugars and anthraquinones.

Flavonoids

The presence of flavonoids and other phenolic derivatives have antioxidant activity, thanks to the capture and neutralization of oxidative species such as superoxide anion, peroxide radicals, and because it acts synergistically with vitamins such as C and E.

In addition, some flavonoids are able to adhere to metal ions, preventing these from acting as catalysts in the production of free radicals.

Therefore, the effect of flavonoids can be summarized as iron chelation, oxidase sequestering activities, stimulation of enzymes with antioxidant activities such as catalase or superoxide dismutase; In addition, they can interfere with the formation of free radicals.

Tannins

Regarding the presence of tannins and phenols, these contribute to give the flavor, smell and coloring of the vegetable. Many of them are economically important because they are used as flavoring and coloring in food or beverages.

Tannins are also considered as water soluble substances, while they are considered insoluble in water with alkaloids, gelatin and other proteins.

Anthraquinones

For their part, anthraquinones stand out for their laxative activity. They excel in pharmaceuticals that contain anthraquinone compounds with laxative properties.

Antimicrobial activity

The cow leg has also been studied for its possible toxicity against the marine microcrustacean Artemia salina, as well as for some effects produced in man and for the control of microorganisms.

Foliage of the Bauhinia forficata tree or cow's hoof. Source: Penarc

Contraindications

Due to the presence of anthraquinones, excessive consumption of this plant could cause diarrhea. On the other hand, according to its toxic effect on some animals such as crustaceans, it is recommended to take care of its commercialization in order to avoid being disposed of in nature, especially in water sources that flow into the sea.

Likewise, the effect that these plants may have on the reproductive status of human beings has not yet been studied.

Although its consumption is indicated in the treatment of diabetes, it does not indicate that the treatment recommended by doctors to treat this disease is replaced with the use of this plant.

On the other hand, due to the fact that this plant has diuretic properties, its use in conjunction with medications for this purpose is not recommended, because it can cause alterations in the expected results.

It is also not recommended to use the infusions of the cow leg to clean or treat deep wounds, it should only be used to heal or treat superficial wounds.

Culture

Despite being a tree native to South America, with the right conditions it can be grown anywhere in the world.

The cow leg is propagated through seeds (in spring), which must be treated before sowing to soften its testa.

In turn, this plant can also multiply through layering and cuttings (in late summer). In this case, the cuttings are rooted and then transferred to nursery conditions until they reach a stage of development that allows them to survive in the field and are transplanted.

This plant is grown in isolation as an ornamental in gardens or on narrow streets. The location of these plants must be in full sun, and does not withstand extreme low temperatures, but must be kept in a temperate climate.

The soil needed to grow the cow leg should be well-drained, light and fertile, although normal garden fertilization is sufficient. Watering should be moderate, as this plant does not require a lot of water. After flowering, it is usually pruned to get thicker trees.

References

1. Flora Bonaerense. 2014. Cow leg (Bauhinia forficata). Taken from: florabonaerense.blogspot.com
2. Infojardín. (2002-2017). Bauhinia forficata Link orchid tree. Taken from: chips.infojardin.com
3. See Plants. 2019. Bauhinia forficata or cow leg, cared for. Taken from: consultaplantas.com
4. Muñoz, O., Montes, M., Wilkomirsky. 1999. Medicinal plants for use in Chile: chemical and pharmacological. University Publishing House. Santiago de Chile. 315 p. Taken from: books.google.co.ve
5. Carvalho, R., Moreira da Silva, S. Phytochemical study of Bauhinia forficata (Fabaceae). Biota Amazonia 5 (1): 27-31.
6. Tropics. 2019. Bauhinia forficata Link. Taken from: tropicos.org
7. Catalog of Life: Annual Checklist 2019. Bauhinia forficata Link. Taken from: catalogueoflife.org
8. Herbotechnics. 2019. Cow's hoof, ox's foot. Taken from: herbotecnia.com.ar
9. Machado, R., De Mattos, A., Guedes, J. Microscopic and sub-microscopic structure of Bauhinia forficata Link wood (Leg. Caes.) 1966. Rodriguésia: Revista do Jardim Botanico do Rio de Janeiro 25 (37): 313-334. Taken from: biodiversitylibrary.org
10. Sacred plant. 2016. Medicinal uses and contraindications of the cow leg. Taken from: plantasagrada.com
11. Hernández, X., Gabarra, J. 2016. Pocket guide to the trees of Barcelona: The 60 most frequent trees in our parks and streets. Editions Mundi-Prensa. 199 p. Taken from: books. google.com.ve