The genus Bauhinia was established by Linnaeus in 1753 and honours the brothers Johan and Caspar Bauhin, both botanists and herbalists from the 16th century. They were identical twin brothers, so the name is quite apt as the characteristic paired leaves when folded together, are identical. The species name natalensis refers to the area where this species most commonly occurs.

The Afrikaans common name beesklou (cattle foot) is applied to most of the bauhinias and refers to the resemblance of the leaf to the footprint of cloven-hoofed animals.

Many of the almost 300 species of Bauhinia (orchid trees or camelsfoot) are popular garden subjects because of their decorative foliage and ornamental flowers and are widely grown in subtropical or tropical regions of the world. Some are used for their timber. Common to all members of this family are the two-lobed leaves, pod fruits and showy flowers. The common names of the genus refer respectively to the shape of the flower and the shape of the leaves which resemble a camel's foot when laid flat.

Most bauhinias are woody shrubs, some climbing with tendrils or scrambling, and some are small trees. The most commonly cultivated is the exotic Bauhinia variegata, the orchid tree, originally from India and China.

There are seven bauhinias that are indigenous to southern Africa , and all show horticultural promise. The most well known and widely cultivated is the pride-of-De Kaap, B. galpinii , bearing masses of bright orange-red flowers in summer. There is also the yellow bauhinia or bosbeesklou, B. tomentosa , a large shrub or small tree with bell-shaped yellow flowers; the Kalahari white bauhinia or koffiebeesklou, B. petersiana, a scrambling shrub or small tree with very crinkled white flowers. This species is divided into two subspecies, B. petersiana subsp. macrantha, which has broader petals, a smaller habit and occurs in the northwestern parts of South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe and Angola, and B. petersiana subsp. petersiana, which is usually a small tree and occurs in northeastern Zimbabwe, Mozambique and northwards; the Kei white bauhinia, B. bowkeri, a scrambling shrub with bunches of white flowers, is a rare endemic in the Transkei and Eastern Cape; and the pink bauhinia or sandbeesklou B. urbaniana, a shrub or bushy tree with rose-pink flowers from northeastern Namibia.