Author: Weinm.
Morphological description
Shrub up to 3 m high. Young branches brownish pubescent later glabrous.
Leaves: stipules linear-subulate, c. 1 cm long, caducous; petiole pubescent, grooved or angular, 2-5 cm; lamina suborbicular, often broader than long, 9-16 cm diameter, 7-9-nerved; bifid 1/4-1/3 with broad sinus; tip of lobes triangular-obtuse, base shallowly cordate; upper surface glabrous, lower brownish pubescent particularly on the nerves (hirsuta Bauhinia lf/pod FT2).
Inflorescence: lateral, short, few-flowered racemes; pedicels 5-15 cm; bracts and bracteoles similar, subulate, 3-6 mm; bracteoles inserted below the middle of the pedicel.
Flowers: Buds fusiform, densely pubescent, up to 4 cm long, terminated by 5 free, subulate calyx-teeth, 2-3 mm long. Hypanthium turbinate, c. 5 mm. Calyx splitting spathaceous at anthesis. Petals white, oblong, obtuse, 3-4 by 1.5 cm with short claw. Stamens 10 fertile, subequal; filaments 7-20 mm, hairy at base; anthers 2-5 mm, opening by a longitudinal slit. Ovary subglabrous; stipitate; style glabrous, 10 mm; stigma small, peltate.
Pods dehiscent, linear, septate with curved apex; sutures not raised as in Bauhinia acuminata (hirsuta Bauhinia lf/pod FT2).
Seeds 5-10, flat, oblong, up to 8 mm diameter.
Distribution
From S China through continental SE Asia; Malesia: Malay Peninsula to Java and possibly Madura.
Habitat & Ecology
In dry deciduous forests up to 600 m altitude. It flowers throughout the year.
Vernacular names
Sendajak, Kendajakan puti, Kletjon, Tajuman, Kantju (Java).