Author: L.
Morphological description (see also description of Genus Bauhinia and Subgenus Bauhinia )
acuminata Bauhinia compl FT2
Shrub up to 3 m high. Young branches greyish pubescent, later glabrous.
Leaves: stipules linear, pubescent, c. 1 cm long, tardily caducous; petiole pubescent, grooved or angular, 3-5 cm; lamina ovate to suborbicular, 12-15(-20) cm diameter, 9-11-nerved; bifid 1/3(-1/2); tip of lobes triangular acute, base subtruncate; upper surface glabrous, lower greyish-brown pubescent particularly on the nerves.
Inflorescence: lateral and terminal short racemes with 3-10 flowers; pedicels robust 5-15(-20) mm; bracts and bracteoles linear, acuminate, 6-8 mm; bracteoles inserted below the middle of the pedicel.
Flowers: (acuminata Bauhinia overv 139503 ) Buds fusiform, thinly hairy to glabrous, c. 4 cm, terminated by 5 free calyx teeth, c. 3 mm long. Hypanthium turbinate, 2-6 mm. Calyx spathaceous. Petals white, subequal, oblong, obtuse, 4-6 cm long with short claw. Stamens 10 fertile; filaments hairy at base, 15-25 mm; anthers 3-6 mm with hairy connective, opening by a longitudinal slit. Ovary subglabrous, stipitate; style subglabrous, c. 15 mm; stigma small, peltate.
Pods dehiscent, linear, septate, 11 by 1.5 cm, glabrous, with sharp-rimmed, raised dorsal sutures.
Seeds 5-11, flat, orbicular, up to 7 mm diam (acuminata Bauhinia pod 428802).
Distribution
SE Asia, described from Sri Lanka, indigenous to the monsoon area of continental SE Asia and Malesia: Java, Borneo, Philippines, Timor. It is also widely cultivated and a frequent escape from gardens.
Habitat
In dry dipterocarp forest in the northern monsoon region; in eastern Java in the lower regions, e. g. in teak forests and brushwood (Backer & Bakh. f., 1963, 532), also on limestone. It produces flowers throughout the year.
Vernacular names
Daun bunga (Pesah); Bunga kertas (Kedayan); Tangkop (Murut bokan); Sri kepala puteh (Sabah); Bambang (Philipp., Tag.), Kulibangbang (Philipp., Iloko); Tali kantju (C Sumatra), Solpa (Asahan); Bugan ijrisan (Jakarta), Aroj (Ki), Kupu kupu (Bogor), Panawar saribu (Sund.); Galela (Halmahera).
Uses
Ornamental. The roots as well as a powder of the leaves are used medicinally.