Kong’s Department of Botany estimates that this clonal origin would mean that B. × blakeana could be susceptible to decimation by epidemics, though it has so far avoided major diseases. In order to avoid the susceptibility of B. × blakeana to diseases due to the lack of genetic diversity from the current clones of a single B. × blakeana tree back in 1880s, efforts should be made to re-hybridise the parental species of B. × blakeana, ie, crossing B. purpurea and B. variegata to generate new hybrid specimens of B. × blakeana instead to add new genetic materials to the current stock of B. × blakeana. Usage as an emblem Since 1997 the flower appears on Hong Kong's coat of arms, its flag and its coins; its Chinese name has also been frequently shortened as 紫荊/紫荆 (洋 yáng means 'foreign' in Chinese, and this would be deemed inappropriate by the PRC government), although 紫荊/紫荆 refers to another genus called Cercis''. A statue of the plant has been erected in Golden Bauhinia Square in Hong Kong. Although the flowers are bright pinkish purple in colour, they are depicted in white on the Flag of Hong Kong. Hong Kong Airlines uses BAUHINIA as its callsign. The endemic plant of Hong Kong was introduced to Taiwan in 1967. In 1984 it was chosen to be the city flower of Chiayi City, in southwestern Taiwan. Gallery References External links National Flower of Hong Kong Bauhinia – Hong Kong emblem Hong Kong Bauhinias blakeana Culture of Hong Kong Regional symbols of Hong Kong Garden plants of Asia Ornamental trees Hybrid plants Fabales of Asia