Bauhinia lingua DC. var. lingua
Morphological description
Tendrilled liana , young branches velvety rusty tomentose.
Leaves: stipules obovate with truncate apex, hairy along the margin, 4-10 mm, early caducous; petiole 3-6 cm, brownish pubescent; lamina broadly ovate to suborbicular, 8-10(-17) cm across; 11-13-nerved; bifid 1/3 - 1/2; tip of lobes obtuse or acute (to acuminate), base cordate; upper surface glabrous, lower brownish pubescent to subglabrous.
Inflorescences lateral and terminal, glabrescent to ± brown velvety corymbs; pedicels 2-4 cm long; bracts narrow lanceolate, acuminate, 3-5 mm, pubescent, early caducous; bracteoles smaller, subulate, inserted near the base of the pedicel.
Flowers: Buds clavate-ellipsoid, ± apiculate, 1-2 cm. Hypanthium narrowly tubular, 10-25(-35) mm, gradually tapering towards the pedicel, brownish velvety pubescent as the bud. Calyx splitting into 5 free, reflexed sepals, 12-15 mm long. Petals white turning yellow, unequal, 25-35 mm long, narrowly obovate-lanceolate with broad rounded apex, tapering into the 4-6 mm long claw, outside mostly appressed brownish silky hairy towards the base and along the median line, sometimes only sparsely hairy. Stamens 3 fertile; filaments glabrous, 22-25 mm; anthers 5-8 mm; staminodes 2, subulate, 6-10 mm, sometimes also 1-2 minute ones, c. 1 mm. Ovary rusty hairy, on a short, glabrous stipe; style usually glabrous; stigma peltate, 2-3 mm diameter.
Pods narrowly oblong, 12-22 by 3.5-5 cm, glabrous.
Seeds 4-8, flat, 1.5-2.5 cm diameter.
Distribution
Malesia : Philippines, Celebes, Lesser Sunda Islands, New Guinea.
Habitat
From sea level up to c. 1000 m altitude; often collected in dry forests, on limestone and vulcanic tuff, but also found in lowland humid forests.
Vernacular names
Philippines: Bomot (Tayalog), Banlut (Cebu Bisaya); Indonesia: Kali bambang (Celebes), Walisu (Minahasa), Madakaka (Ternate), Buah Parang (Buru), Kaha gogaja (Ceram), Madakaka, Salisou, Daun lida-lida, Daun lalah munut, Tabla mulu (Ambon); Sukasari (Tobelo).
Uses
For ropes. Locally the young leaves are eaten as vegetable and according to Rumphius the leaves are extracted with the juice of Arenga for the taste.