Gen info
Native to South America, The first species recorded in the Philippines was Bougainvillea spectabilis. The other species, B. glabra and B. peruviana were introduced much later. The cultivated hybrids have produced a considerable variety in size, color, form and numbers of showy bracts. The genus is derives its name from Antoiine de Bougainville, first Frenchman to cross the Pacific.

Botany
A woody climber that can grow to a height of more than 10 meters, with large thorny stems and long drooping branches. The leaves are petioled, alternate, ovate, with entire margins, 6 to 10 cm long, broadest near the base. Thorns are the axils assist the plant in climbing. Flowers are in groups of threes, each subtended by three, broad, purplish bracts, about 3-5 cm long. Flowers are small, each inserted on a bract, tubular, inflated midway through its length, of varying colors.

Distribution
Ornamental planting.
Propagated by cuttings.

Constituents and properties
Reported constituents on B. glabra are pinitol, betacyanine, flavonoids, tannins and alkaloids.
Leaves considered to have antiinflammatory activity.

Parts utilized
Leaves

Uses
Folkloric
Not known in the Philippines for any medicinal use.
Traditional practitioners in Mandsaur use the leaves for a variety of disorders, for diarrhea, and to reduce stomach acidity.
Used elsewhere for cough, sore throat.
Studies
Leaves studied for antidiarrheal, anti-ulcer, and anti-microbial activities.
Other studies and publications (B R Nahata College of Pharmacy):
• Bajpai A., Pharmacognostical studies on stems of Bougainvillea glabra choisy, International Journal of Green Pharmacy, 1(1), 2006, 70
• Edwin E., Edwin S., Amalraj A., Soni R., Smita G., Gupta V. B., Antihyperglycemic activity of Bougainvillea Glabra, Choisy, Planta Indica, 2(3), 2006, 25-26
• Edwin E., Edwin S., Toppo E., Tiwari V., Amalraj A., Gupta V. B., Free radical scavenging activity of ethanol aqueous extract of Bougainvillea Glabra Choisy, Planta Indica, 2(3), 2006, 21-22
• Toppo E., Edwin E., Sheeja E., Amalraj A., Tiwari V., Saraswat V., Free radical scavenging activity of ethanolic and aqueous extracts of Bougainvillea glabra, presented in IPC, Hyderabad, December 2-4, 2005
http://www.brncop.org/tpublication.html

Availability
Cultivated.