Bauhinia glauca (Benth.) Benth. subsp. glauca is the only infraspecific taxon, represented in Malesia.
Morphological description
Tendrilled liana; young branches reddish pubescent, soon glabrous.
Leaves: stipules linear, c. 4 mm long; petiole sparsely pubescent, 2-4 cm; lamina broadly ovate to rotundate, often broader than long, 4-6(-9) cm diameter; 7-11 -nerved; bifid 1/3 - 1/2 with narrow sinus; tip of lobes obtuse; base truncate to cordate; upper surface glabrous, lower sparsely pubescent.
Inflorescence lateral, short, dense corymbs; pedicel slender, 1-2 cm, more or less rusty pubescent; bracts linear, 5 mm long; bracteoles similar, inserted near the middle of the pedicel.
Flowers: Buds ovoid, 4-5 mm, glabrous to sparsely hairy. Hypanthium tubular, more or lessglabrous, striate, 10- 15 mm long. Calyx splitting into 2-3 reflexed segments, 4 mm long. Petals white, subequal, obovate, 8-12 mm long including the 2-3 mm long claw, more or less hairy outside. Stamens 3 fertile; filaments glabrous, as long as petals; anthers dark red, ellipsoid, 2 mm long; staminodes 7: 2 between the stamens, 3 mm long, 5 short, subulate, connate at base. Ovary glabrous, 8 mm long, shortly stipitate; style very short; stigma obliquely peltate.
Pods flat, oblong, thin-valved, indehiscent, 18-25 by 3-5.5 cm.
Seeds 10-25, ovate, 5-8 mm long.
Distribution
From India, through Burma, to S China, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam; Malesia : Malay Peninsula and Indonesia. In the northern part of the area it is represented by subsp. tenuiflora (Watt ex C.B. Clarke) K. & S. S. Larsen, in the southern part, i. e. S India, Burma, Malay Peninsula, Sumatra and Java, by subsp. glauca.
Habitat
Along margins of evergreen forests, in clearings, up to 500 m altitude.