Bougainvillea

Bougainvillea is genus of thorny ornamental vines, bushes or tree. It belongs to the family of Nyctaginaceae. This tree consists of large colorful sepal like bracts which is surrounded by three simple waxy flowers. It belongs to south America from Brazil,west to Peru and south to south Argentina. Different authors accept from 4 to 18 species in the genus.

The vine species grow anywhere from 1 to 12 m tall scrambling over other plants with spiky thorns. They are evergreen where rainfall occurs all year or deciduous if there is dry season.
The flowers of the plant are small and generally white but each cluster of three flowers is surrounded by three or six bracts with bright colors including pink, magenta, purple, red, orange, white and yellow.

There are three common species of this plant and are:

• Bougainvillea glabra
• Bougainvillea × buttiana
• Bougainvillea spectabilis

HISTORY

Philibert Commerson a botanist accompanying french navy was the first European to describe this plant during his voyage of circumnavigation of the earth and was first published by Antoine Laurent de Jussieu in 1789.

It is said that Jeanne Baret was probably the first European to observe these plants.
She was commerson's lover and assistant who was an expert in botany. She disguised herself as a man in order to make the journey because she was not allowed on the ship as a woman.
Twenty years after commerson's description, it was first published as bougainvillea in Genera Plantarum by
A.L. de Jussieu in 1789.

USES

Bougainvillea are popular ornamental plants in most areas with warm climates, such as Florida and south Carolina and across the Mediterranean basin.
This plant can be used as a house plant or hanging basket in cooler climates. It is also grown along fence lines on walls. Its long arching thorny branches bear heart shaped leaves and masses of papery bracts. 

Currently there are over 300 varities of bougainvillea around the world out of which 18 species has been recognized by botanist.
Beacause many of the hybrids have been crossed over several generations. It is difficult to identify their respective origin.
Many species of Bougainvillea are the official flowers of Guam. 
It is also a national flower of Grenada.

TOXICITY:

The sap of bougainvillea can cause serious skin rashes, similar to Toxicodendron species.