Author: Baker
Morphological description (see also description of Genus Bauhinia ; Subgenus Phanera and Section Palmatifolia )
Tendrilled liana .
Leaves entire, glabrous; stipules early caducous (not seen); petiole thick, 15-18 mm long; lamina ovate, lanceolate or narrowly oblong, coriaceous, in dried state often with revolute margin, 15-26 by 3-6.5 cm; nerves 3-5, the lateral ones weak, transverse nerves not distinct; base cordate to truncate, apex acuminate (lambiana Bauhinia lvs FM18).
Inflorescence corymbose, finely ferrugineously puberulous; pedicel slender, c. 5 cm; bracts early caducous (not seen); bracteoles subulate, rusty pubescent, c. 3 mm, inserted in the lower half of the pedicel.
Flowers: Buds globose, apiculate, c. 6 mm, finely pubescent. Hypanthium narrow tubular, striate, finely pubescent, c. 15 mm long. Calyx splitting into 2-3 patent segments. Petals yellow, later red; blade broadly obovate to suborbicular, c. 2 cm, with a distinct, 2-3 mm long claw, sparsely pubescent on the outer side. Stamens 3 fertile, 10-12 mm long, early caducous; filaments glabrous; anthers broadly elliptic, c. 2 mm, opening by a central pore in each theca; staminodes 4-6, half as long as the stamens. Ovary c. 6 mm, shortly stipitate, glabrous, except for the stipe and the lower half of the dorsal suture; style 5 mm, slender, glabrous; stigma small, peltate.
Pods unknown.
Distribution
Malesia : described from Mt Lambia in the northern part of Sarawak and also found in Labi Nat. Park in Brunei.
Habitat
Lowland rainforest up to 330 m.
Notes
1. The characteristic coriaceous leaves which in herbarium specimens have revolute margins are very distinctive (on fully mature leaves).
2. The species is closely related to Bauhinia kockiana and future studies in nature may lead to the decision to join it with that species as an infraspecific taxon.