Author: Merr.
Morphological description (see also description of Genus Bauhinia ; Subgenus Phanera and Section Phanera )
Slender, tendrilled climber; young parts rusty pubescent, later glabrous.
Leaves: stipules triangular, 3-4 mm long, hirsute, early caducous; petioles slender, 3-6 cm, glabrous to sparsely pubescent; lamina ovate, up to 12 by 8 cm; 9-nerved; bifid 1/2 - 3/4 with a wide sinus; lobes narrow, triangular, acute, base cordate; upper surface glabrous, lower ± appressed rusty pubescent to almost glabrous.
Inflorescences terminal and lateral few-flowered racemes with rusty pubescent axis, up to 10 cm long; pedicels slender, 20-25 mm, rusty puberulous; bracts narrow triangular, outside thinly pubescent, c. 5 mm; bracteoles linear, acute, c. 3 mm, inserted about the middle of the pedicel.
Flowers: Buds obovoid to oblong, 10-20 mm, apiculate, brownish puberulous. Hypanthium tubular, striate, 1.5-2 mm long, sparsely short puberulous, gradually tapering towards the pedicel. Calyx splitting into 5 free, strap-shaped segments, 1-3 cm long, finally reflexed. Petals white turning yellowish, ovate-oblong, obtuse, 1.5-3 cm long, with a 3-5 mm long claw, sparsely hairy to almost glabrous outside. Stamens 3 fertile; filaments glabrous, 1.5-2.5 cm; anthers ellipsoid, c. 5 mm, opening by a longitudinal slit; staminodes 2.7-10 mm. Ovary appressedly brown silky pubescent, on a short stipe; style ± glabrous; stigma peltate.
Pods unknown.
Distribution
Malesia: Philippines (Luzon).
Habitat
Collected at 1400 m altitude.
Note
This species apparently is rare and still needs further study to be fully understood. Merrill writes that it is closely related to Bauhinia warburgii , i. e. B. integrifolia var. cumingiana; Larsen & Larsen (1996: 488) do not think this is the case, not only the leaves are different but also the flower structure. De Wit, (1956: 462), in his description cites two specimens, one from Prov. Tayabas and one from Rizal. Larsen & Larsen (1996: 488) have hesitatingly emended the description and added a flowering specimen collected by Lagrimas 608 from Prov. Zambas, this plant has smaller floral parts and a more corymbose inflorescence with c. 20 flowers. Further a sterile specimen from Mountain province, Conklin & Buwaya I-937 (PNH 79526) probably belongs here.