Leaf morphoanatomy of “mororó” (Bauhinia and Schnella, Fabaceae)

Bauhinia and Schnella are popularly known in Brazil as “mororó”. Their leaves and stem bark are used in folk medicine for various purposes, especially against diabetes. Morphoanatomical studies of the leaves of Bauhinia cheilantha, B. pentandra, B. ungulata, and Schnella outimouta were carried out as subsidies to the quality control of their etnodrugs, as well as an additional support to their taxonomy. Schnella outimouta showed leaf characters distinctive from the three species of Bauhinia.