Author: Roxb.
Morphological description (cucullata Caesalpinia comp FT21 )
Liana up to 20 m, all parts glabrous; branches armed with recurved prickles 5–10 mm long (cucullata Caes thorns 139589). Stipules absent.
Leaves: rachis 10–40 cm long; pinnae 3–6 pairs, 10–20 cm long; Leaflets (sub)opposite, 3–6 pairs per pinna, petiolulate (2–4 mm), coriaceous, ovate, 5–12 by 2.5–6.5 cm, base acute to rounded, inequal to subequal, apex acuminate.
Inflorescences axillary and terminal, paniculate, 20–50 cm long, often from old stems; bracts absent; pedicels c. 8 mm, articulated in the middle or at c. 1/3 from the top.
Flower buds globose. Hypanthium 2 mm deep and 6–8 mm wide. Sepals 5–12 by 3–4 mm. Petals: standard 6–8 by 10–12 mm, bilobed to about half the length, not clawed; the others suborbicular to ovate, 5.5–8.5 by 4–6 mm, slightly clawed. Stamens far exserted; ¾laments 20–25 mm; anthers c. 1.5 mm long. Pistil glabrous or short-silky, 1–2 mm stiped; ovary 5 by 1 mm, 1- (or 2-) ovuled; style 20–30 mm, curved upwards, stigma oblique, c. 0.5 mm in diameter, glabrous.
Pods: hypanthium persistent, c. 2 mm deep and 8–10 mm wide; the pod proper stipitate, 2–4 mm above the hypanthium, oblong-lanceolate, 7–11 by 2.5–3 cm (incl. 0.5 cm wide wing), shining, dark brown, base rounded, apex acuminate, often hooked, 1- (or 2-)seeded.
Seeds orbicular, flat, c. 1 cm in diameter, shining brown.
Distribution
India, China, Vietnam, Thailand; in Malesia: N & W Sumatra, Malay Peninsula, Borneo (Kalimantan: Banjarmasin), Java, Philippines (Luzon, Mindanao), Lesser Sunda Islands (Bali).
Habitat & Ecology
In forests, forest fringes and scrubland, up to 1500 m altitude. Fl. April–October