Author: Gagnep.
Morphological description (see also description of Genus Bauhinia ; Subgenus Phanera and Section Palmatifolia )
Slender, tendrilled climber ; all branches glabrous.
Leaves: stipules subglabrous, falcate, c. 5 mm, early caducous; petiole stout, glabrous, 2-5(-7) cm; lamina entire (menisperm Bauh TYPE detail ), cordate with acuminate apex, coriaceous, in dried state often with revolute margin, (5-)7-nerved; 9-15 by 6-10 cm, glabrous on both sides, lower surface often glaucescent.
Inflorescence (menisperm Bauh TYPE detail ) lateral, rather lax corymbs with 15-20 flowers; all parts glabrous; pedicels slender, almost filiform, 4-6 cm; bracts linear, c. 5 mm long, with few hairs along the margin, early caducous; bracteoles similar, smaller, inserted in lower half of pedicel.
Flowers: Buds globose, c. 5 mm diameter. Hypanthium narrow tubular, 5-8 mm long. Calyx splitting into (4 or) 5 free sepals. Petals yellow with a dark red centre, narrowly obovate, 10-15 mm long, with crenate-undulate margin; claw very short. Stamens 3 fertile; filaments red, 6-7 mm, glabrous, incrassate towards the base; anthers broader than long, 1-1.5 mm, opening by a central pore in each theca; staminodes 6-8, of varying length, the longest c. 4 mm. Ovary c. 4 mm, stipe 2-3 mm; style filiform, 5-7 mm, all glabrous; stigma capitate, 1 mm.
Pods unknown.
Distribution
Malesia: Borneo (coastal zone of W Borneo from Kuching in North to Matand in South).
Vernacular name
Garai, according to de Wit (1956: 513).
Note
An easily recognizable species, also vegetatively, by the characteristic, coriaceous leaves which show a remarkable similarity with the leaves of several Menispermaceae.