Bauhinia pachyphylla Merr. var. pachyphylla
Morphological description
Tendrilled liana , glabrous except for the inflorescence.
Leaves: stipules early caducous (not seen); petiole stout, 10-15 mm; lamina broadly ovate to suborbicular, thickly coriaceous, c. 10 cm across; bifid 1/3 - 2/5; tip of lobes obtuse, base deeply cordate; 11-nerved; upper surface glabrous, lower first sparsely pubescent, soon glabrous, with very prominent nerves and a distinct, fine reticulation.
Inflorescence terminal, 20-30 cm long, narrow racemes, axis dark brown velvety, distinctly zig-zag with elevated pedicel-bases; pedicels thick, c. 15 mm, densely brown pubescent; bracts woolly, ovate acute, 6-7 mm; bracteoles similar, but much narrower, inserted at the base of the pedicel.
Flowers: Buds ovoid-globose, 9-12, thick brown velvety pubescent. Hypanthium infundibuliform, 15-18 by 6 mm. Calyx splitting into 5 strap-shaped sepals, apparently not reflexed. Petals pale yellow, outside pubescent, inside glabrous, c. 2.5 cm long including the c. 10 mm long claw; blade elliptic, obtuse, tapering towards the base. Stamens 3 fertile; filaments glabrous, c. 15 mm long; anthers oblong, c. 7 mm. Ovary shortly stipitate, densely coppery tomentose; style stout, tomentose; stigma small, peltate.
Pods narrowly oblong, thin-valved, c. 13 by 3.5-4 cm, when young ferrugineous pubescent, later glabrous and glossy.
Seeds c. 6, flat, c. 15 mm across. (Fruiting characters are quoted from Merrill (1925: 24); the material in K is a flowering specimen).
Distribution
Malesia : Philippines (Luzon, only known from the type locality in the Rizal province).
Notes
1. Both Merrill and de Wit regard this as a very distinct taxon and Larsen & Larsen (1996: 487) fully agree even if only the type collection is known. They have studied the specimen in K and the characteristic leaves, the inflorescence axis and bud shape together with the broad, stout hypanthium are all very remarkable. One specimen from Balar, Quezon (Luzon) in floral characters agrees with this species; the leaves, however, on a sterile shoot are divided 2/3 and with acute lobes. The type locality now lies within the limits of Metropolitan Manila and is probably deprived of its original vegetation.
2. Quisumbing PNH 2458, also from Quezon, studied from SING, is a fruiting branch. The inflorescence axis and the hypanthium suggest this variety but the leaves are narrowly ovate, 5.5-7.5 by 4-5 cm, divided 2/3 with narrow sinus and narrow triangular lobes. This may represent a new variety.