Common Name: Mysore Thorn

General Information

Biancaea decapetala is a robust, deciduous shrub or tree, often with a scrambling or climbing habit. There are numerous straight to hooked thorns on the stems which help the plant to attach to other vegetation for support; the stems usually range from 0.5 - 10 metres long, though can reach 25 metres or more[, ].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine, source of tannins etc, and is occasionally cultivated at lower elevations[]. It has often been grown as an ornamental[].
Biancaea decapetala has a broad native distribution across tropical and sub-tropical Asia and is widely introduced in Africa, South America and Australia where it is sometimes considered a serious weed. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2018)[].
Biancaea decapetala is capable of swamping native vegetation, changing the composition of the flora and creating a barrier to the movement of people and animals. It has become invasive in several countries where it was introduced intentionally. It is a declared category 1 weed in South Africa where it is invasive in forest edges and clearings, in managed plantations and along roads and rivers/streams. In Australia, it is classed as a noxious weed (category W2) in New South Wales, where legislation states that it must be completely controlled and destroyed, and is prohibited in Western Australia until a weed risk assessment has been completed[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

, ,

Range

E. Asia - China, Japan, Korea, Indian Subcontinent, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Malaysia, Philippines

Habitat

Hedges and open bushy places[]. Swampy localities and ravines; at elevations up to 1,800 metres[]. Open grasslands, scrubland and forest fringes; at elevations from 1,000 - 1,700 metres[].

Properties

Weed Potential	Yes
Conservation Status	Least Concern
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Deciduous Shrub
Height	3.00 m
Pollinators	Bees, Lepidoptera, Ants
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Bianaea decapetala is very widely distributed in South and East Asia, approximately from the equator to 40°N. It succeeds in tropical, subtropical and warm temperate regions at elevations below 1,500 metres[]. Temperatures in areas where the plant is endemic range from as low as 10 - 20°c in the cool season and as high as 20 to more than 30°c in the hot season[]. Plants prefer sub-humid to humid climates, but can tolerate a mean annual rainfall ranging from 300 - 3,000mm per yea, with a dry season ranging from 0 - 6 monthsr[, ]. One form of this plant, formerly known as Caesalpinia japonica, but now generally considered to be no more than a variety of Biancaea decapetala, succeeds on a wall at Wisley to the west of London in England - it is said to be hardy to about -10°c[]. Its natural range is Japan where it grows at heights up to 2,000 metres on rocky mountain slopes in the cooler regions of the country[, ].
Requires a sunny position[], succeeding in any moderately fertile well-drained soil[] including limy soils[].
Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus[].
Although many species within the family Fabaceae have a symbiotic relationship with soil bacteria, this species is said to be devoid of such a relationship and therefore does not fix atmospheric nitrogen[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

The leaves are emmenagogue and laxative[, ].
They are bruised and applied externally to burns[, , ].

The root is purgative[, , ]. It is used in the treatment of neuralgia[].

The roots, stems, and pods are used medicinally for relieving pain[].

The seeds are anthelmintic, antipyretic, analgesic and astringent. They are used to treat dysentery and malaria[, , , ].

Agroforestry Uses:

Plants have a dense, thorny growth habit and are excellent when used as a livestock excluding barrier. They are often grown as field boundaries in Nepal[]. Responding well to trimming, they make an excellent hedge plant[].
The plant has often been used in soil stabilization projects but, with its ability to escape from cultivation, it is probably best to only use it for this purpose within the plant's native range[, ].

Other Uses

The bark is a rich source of tannin[, ].

The seeds are rich in oil. They are used as a lubricant and for soap[].

Seeds and roots are used as an insecticide[].

Wood - moderately hard[].

Propagation

Seed - pre-soak for 12 - 24 hours in warm water and sow in a greenhouse in early spring[]. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter, planting them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts.
Softwood cuttings in sand in a frame[].
Layering. Branches often self-layer, forming roots where they touch the ground[].