Author: Korth.
Morphological description (see also description of Genus Bauhinia ; Subgenus Phanera and Section Palmatifolia )
Tendrilled climber ; young branches ribbed, rusty tomentose (pyrrhoneura Bauh Ic Korth t11 ).
Leaves: stipules oblong, rounded, 3 cm (?) long, pubescent, early caducous (from de Wit, not seen by us); petiole rusty tomentose, 4-7 cm; lamina entire, broadly ovate to suborbicular, up to 22 by 18 cm; apex often caudate, finely emarginate at apex, 5-30 mm long; nerves (7-)9-11; upper surface glabrous, lower thinly appressed puberulous to almost glabrous, rusty tomentose on the nerves.
Inflorescence large, composed of corymbs, all parts rusty tomentose, main axis angulate, c. 10 cm; pedicels 4-5 cm; bracts not seen; bracteoles setaceous, minute, inserted in the lower half of the pedicel.
Flowers: (pyrrhoneura Bauh Reinwf28 ) Buds ovoid, apiculate, rusty tomentose, with 5 longitudinal furrows, 7-10 mm. Hypanthium distinctly striate with ridges continuing on the pedicel, 3-5 mm; in dried specimens often slightly curved. Calyx splitting into 2-3 reflexed lobes. Petals yellow, broadly ovate to orbicular, with undulate margin, outside hairy, 2-3(-4) cm long, abruptly clawed; claw 2-3 mm. Stamens 3 fertile; filaments glabrous, thick, curved, c. 5 mm long; anthers broad ellipsoid, c. 2 mm, opening by a central pore in each theca; staminodes 5-10, 3-4 mm. Ovary shortly stipitate, hairy along the sutures, c. 12 mm; style 5 mm, hairy, glabrous towards the peltate stigma.
Pods unknown.
Distribution
Malesia: Sumatra (known from few localities: Mt Melintang, Lubuksikaping, Lubukalung, Aek Bila Marbu).
Notes
1. The epithet was published as 'pyrraneura'; later authors changed it to the spelling maintained here.
2. The type collection consists of ample material, while the specimens seen of B. xanthoneura, Phanera catalpaefolia, and P. acuminatissima consist of few large leaves only. The largest leaves probably are taken from the lower part of the flowering shoots or from sterile branches.