Bird Of Paradise

At a glance

Origin / distribution: Mexico, Haiti, Java, Samoa, Malaya, China, Guatemala, Panama

Cultural traditions: not documented

Recorded uses: Abortifacient, Astringent, Bechic, Catarrh

Science studied: BENZOIC-ACID, BONDUCELLIN, ALPHA-CAESALPIN, 6-BETA-CINNAMOYL-7-BETA-HYDROXY-VOUACAPEN-5-ALPHA-OL

Research volume: 0 indexed records · volume only · methodology ↗

Legal status: Varies by jurisdiction; not assessed in this record.

Names and identity

Family: Fabaceae

Scientific name: Caesalpinia pulcherrima

Common names: Bird Of Paradise, Barbados flower-fence, Barbados-pride, Clavellino, Dwarf Poinciana, Flamboyant nain, Petit flamboyant, Aigrette, Pride of Barbados, Pride-of-barbados, Tuturutu, barba-de-barata, dwarf poinciana, flamboyant-de-jardim, flamboyant-mirim, flamboyanzinho, flor-de-pavão, flower-fence

POWO: 1164658-2 · WCVP June 2026 / POWO backbone

History

The source record documents this plant in Elsewhere, Mexico, Haiti, Java, Samoa, Malaya, China, Guatemala and 3 additional places.

It records these historical or traditional applications:

• Abortifacient
• Astringent
• Bechic
• Catarrh
• Cathartic
• Cold
• Cough
• Diarrhea

This summary is limited to the cited source record.

Origins and distribution

• Elsewhere
• Mexico
• Haiti
• Java
• Samoa
• Malaya
• China
• Guatemala
• Panama
• Angola
• Dominican Republic

Documented cultural uses

• Abortifacient
• Astringent
• Bechic
• Catarrh
• Cathartic
• Cold
• Cough
• Diarrhea
• Emmenagogue
• Epilepsy
• Erysipelas
• Fever

Cultural record detail

These entries are transcribed from the cited ethnobotanical source; they do not represent current advice or a claim of efficacy.

• Abortifacient · Elsewhere · "
• Abortifacient · Mexico · "
• Astringent · Mexico · "
• Bechic · Haiti · "
• Catarrh · Java · "
• Cathartic · Samoa · "
• Cold · Mexico · "
• Cough · Mexico · "
• Cough · Malaya · "
• Diarrhea · Java · "
• Emmenagogue · Mexico · "
• Epilepsy · Elsewhere · "
• Erysipelas · Mexico · "
• Fever · Elsewhere · "
• Fever · Mexico · "
• Gastromegaly · Java · "
• Inflammation · Mexico · "
• Laxative · Samoa · "
• Liver · Mexico · "
• Medicine · China · "
• Mouth · Mexico · "
• Ophthalmia · Mexico · "
• Piscicide · Guatemala · "
• Piscicide · Panama · "

23 additional documented entries remain in the source record.

Contemporary uses

Contemporary practice is not documented separately in this record.

Scientific research

Indexed records indicate research activity; they do not establish efficacy or safety.

Indexed research records

• Cassane-Type Diterpenoids From the Seeds of Caesalpinia pulcherrima and Their Cytotoxic Activities. · 2026 source ↗
• Anti-Plasmodial Activity and Elemental Analysis of the Stem Bark Extract of Caesalpinia pulcherrima · 2026 source ↗
• Cell Structure and Dynamics of Galactomannan Secretion in <i>Caesalpinia pulcherrima</i> (Leguminosae) Endosperm. · 2025 source ↗

Scientific compounds

Chemical presence is not evidence of clinical efficacy.

• BENZOIC-ACID
• BONDUCELLIN
• ALPHA-CAESALPIN
• 6-BETA-CINNAMOYL-7-BETA-HYDROXY-VOUACAPEN-5-ALPHA-OL
• 8,9,11,14-DIDEHYDROVOUACAPEN-5-ALPHA-OL
• ELLAGIC-ACID
• ELLAGITANNIN
• GALACTOMANNAN
• GALACTOMANNOSE
• HCN
• LEUCODELPHINIDIN
• LUPEOL
• 8-METHOXYBONDUCELLIN
• 6-METHOXYPULCHERRIMIN
• MUCILAGE
• MYRICETIN

Legality

No exact international trade listing was returned by the CITES checklist for this accepted name. Country-specific law is not assessed here.

Consult the CITES species checklist for current international and national requirements.

Reference images

Sources

Plants of the World Online (POWO) · Kew data terms; cite POWO/WCVP

World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP) · CC BY 3.0

CC0 · Dr. Duke raw CSV archive

Contributions and revisions

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