Description

Scarlet Flame Bean (Brownea) is a species of small evergreen tree with compound leaves and clusters of bright scarlet flowers in the subfamily Detarioideae of the family Fabaceae. Common names include Mountain rose, rose of Venezuela and cooper hoop. The species is native to Colombia, Ecuador and Venezuela

Characteristics:

Scarlet Flame Bean is a tree with a dense, spreading crown; it can grow 6 - 9 meters tall. The tree is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine and a drink. A very ornamental tree, it is commonly cultivated in tropical and subtropical gardens where it is valued especially for its large heads of orange-red flowers which hang primarily beneath the foliage, on older branches. Scarlet Flame Bean, is a small to mid-sized tree with slender branches and a rounded crown and reaches a height of about 12 ft . Brownea have compound leaves which are 10–35 cm. long, containing 4-10 leaflets. Leaflets are oblong or elliptic, pointed at the apex and 4–23 cm. long and 1.5-6.5 cm. wide and smooth. Flowers are tubular with orange-scarlet calyx and petals and 10-12 protruding stamens in heads 7–9 cm. wide surrounded by downy red bracts and in clusters of 2-3 on branches are trunks. Seed pods are brown and 12–24 cm. long, 4 cm. wide and contain 4-10 flat seeds

Medicinal Uses:

The bark is used for treating haemorrhages and women’s diseases such menorrahgia and menstrual pains. The leaves are emollient. The flowers, when used as an infusion, are laxative and cooling. They are used in the treatment of coughs and colds, haemorrhages, whooping cough, and tuberculosis