- Pride of Burma
Taxobox
name = Pride of Burma
image_width = 240px
regnum =Plant ae
divisio = Magnoliophyta
classis = Magnoliopsida
ordo =Fabales
familia =Fabaceae
subfamilia =Caesalpinioideae
tribus =Detarieae
genus = "Amherstia"
species = "A. nobilis"
binomial = "Amherstia nobilis"
binomial_authority = WallichThe Pride of Burma ("Amherstia nobilis" in the
Fabaceae ) is a tropical tree with exceptionally beautiful flowers (it is also known as the Orchid Tree, a name otherwise reserved for members of the genus "Bauhinia "). Its name in Burmese is "thawka-gyi". It is widely cultivated for ornament in the humid tropics. Pride of Burma is very rare in the wild and has only been collected from its native habitat a few times. It is native to Burma (Myanmar ), hence the common name. The scientific name commemorates Lady Amherst, as doesLady Amherst's Pheasant .This stunning tree is the only member of the genus
Amherstia . The extravagant flowers are seen hanging from the longinflorescence , or flower stalk, which is a brightcrimson red at the end. There are 5petals although 2 of these are minute and the rest are of unequal size.The petals are alsocrimson ; the two medium sized petals areyellow at the tip and the largestpetal is broad and fan-shaped with a wavy upper margin and ayellow triangle of colour extending from the lip down into theflower . This large petal can reach 7.5 centimetres long and over 4 centimetres wide at the end. There are either 9 or 10stamens , 9 of which are partially fused into apink sheath; the stamens are of two differing lengths with the longer ones having largeranthers . Thecompound leaves bear 6 - 8 largeleaflets ; these are broadly oblong in shape and are a whitish colour underneath.The
fruits , orseedpods , are 11 to 20 centimetres long. They are roughlyscimitar -shaped and the woody outer case opens to disperse the seeds.External links
* [http://www.arkive.org/species/GES/plants_and_algae/Amherstia_nobilis/ From the ARKive digital database]
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