Amherstia

Amherstia
Conservation status
Extinct in the Wild  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Rosids
Order:	Fabales
Family:	Fabaceae
Subfamily:	Detarioideae
Tribe:	Amherstieae
Genus:	Amherstia Wall.
Species:	A. nobilis
Binomial name
Amherstia nobilis Wall.

Amherstia nobilis (Burmese: သော်ကကြီး [θɔ̀ka̰ dʑí]; the Pride of Burma, in the family Fabaceae) is a tropical tree with large, showy flowers. It is the only member of the genus Amherstia. It is widely cultivated for ornament in the humid tropics, but is extinct in the wild, only being known from a single wild specimen which was recorded in 1865.^[1] It is native to Burma (Myanmar), hence the common name. The scientific name commemorates Lady Amherst, (as does Lady Amherst's pheasant) and also her daughter Sarah.^[2] Another common name, orchid tree, is also used for members of the genus Bauhinia.

The extravagant flowers are seen hanging from the long inflorescence, or flower stalk, which is a bright crimson red at the end. There are 5 petals although 2 of these are minute and the rest are of unequal size. These petals are also crimson; the two medium-sized petals are yellow at the tip and the largest petal is broad and fan-shaped with a wavy upper margin and a yellow triangle of colour extending from the lip down into the flower. This large petal can reach 7.5 centimetres long and over 4 centimetres wide at the end. There are either 9 or 10 stamens, 9 of which are partially fused into a pink sheath; the stamens are of two differing lengths with the longer ones having larger anthers. The compound leaves bear 6 - 8 large leaflets; these are broadly oblong in shape and are pallid underneath.^{[citation needed]}

The fruits (legumes) are 11 to 20 centimetres long. They are roughly scimitar-shaped pods, and the woody outer case opens to disperse the seeds.^{[citation needed]}

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  Flowers
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  Amherstia nobilis
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  Amherstia nobilis beginning of the inflorescence
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  Amherstia nobilis flowering
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  Amherstia nobilis detail of the flower
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  Flower, new red leaves, and mature green leaves
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  Seedpod

• From the ARKive digital database

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