Author: Roxb.
Morphological description (see also description of Genus Bauhinia ; Subgenus Phanera and Section Phanera)
Slender, tendrilled liana . Young branches reddish pubescent, later glabrous.
Leaves: stipules linear, slightly falcate, pointed, 1.5-2 mm; petiole slender, glabrescent, 1-1.8 cm; lamina ovate, 2-3.5 by 2-4 cm; 7-nerved; bifid until 2/3-3/4 with very narrow sinus; tip of lobes obtuse; base truncate or slightly cordate; upper surface glabrous, lower sparsely reddish pubescent particularly along the nerves.
Inflorescences (corymbosa Bauhinia infl 139562) terminal and lateral, c. 5 cm long, pyramidal or conical corymbs; axis reddish pubescent; bracts subulate, c. 2 mm, bracteoles similar but smaller, inserted in the lower half of the pedicel; pedicel slender, c. 1 cm.
Flowers: Buds ovoid, 5-7 mm, reddish pubescent. Hypanthium narrowly tubular, striate, c. 20 mm. Calyx splitting into 2-4(-5) ± reflexed segments. Petals white, subequal, obovate, 10-13 mm long including the short claw, velutinous outside. Fertile stamens 3; filaments pink, glabrous, 10-13 mm; anthers 2-3 mm, opening by a longitudinal slit; staminodes 7: 2 between the fertile stamens very small, 5 short subulate, c. 4 mm, connate at base. Ovary pink, glabrous, shortly stipitate, 8-10 mm long including the very short style; stigma oblique, peltate.
Pods narrowly oblong, straight or slightly falcate, dehiscent, up to 12 by 1.5 cm, smooth, glabrous, glossy.
Seeds 15 or more, oblong, 7 by 3.5 mm.
Distribution
A Chinese species also found in N Vietnam. In Malesia introduced as an ornamental.