Author: Bl. ex Korth.
Morphological description (see also description of Genus Bauhinia ; Subgenus Phanera and Section Phanera)
(fulva Bauh ov Reinw f17 )
Large climber; young branches densely woolly brown hairy, later glabrous.
Leaves: stipules broadly lanceolate, densely woolly outside, less so inside, 5-10 mm long, caducous; petiole pubescent, 4-8 cm long; lamina broadly obovate to orbicular, up to 20 cm diameter; 11-13-nerved; bifid 1/3 - 1/2 with narrow sinus; tip of lobes rounded to acute; base deeply cordate; upper surface reddish-brown puberulous when young, later glabrescent, lower woolly pubescent, indumentum gradually diminishing (fulva Bauhinia TYPE detail ).
Inflorescence terminal and lateral, simple or compound, dense corymbs; pedicels slender, up to 4 cm long, greyish-brown woolly; bracts ovate, glabrous inside, woolly outside, c. 3 mm long; bracteoles minute, 1-2 mm, subulate, inserted just below the hypanthium.
Flowers: Buds ovoid with pointed apex, 5-9 mm, greyish-brown pubescent. Hypanthium turbinate, 3-5 mm long. Calyx splitting into 2-3 or finally 5 free, reflexed sepals, 8-12 mm long. Petals white, obovate, unequal, 10-22 mm long including the 3-5 mm long, greenish claw, outside appressed hirsute, inside glabrous. Stamens 3 fertile; filaments 10-18 mm, glabrous; anthers c. 2 mm long, opening by a longitudinal slit; staminodes 2, minute, subulate. Ovary 4-5 mm including the short stipe, reddish brown velvety; style slender, 6-7 mm, glabrous; stigma peltate.
Pods dehiscent, c. 20 by 4-5 cm, velvety brown.
Seeds 4-7, flat, orbicular, c. 2 cm diameter.
Distribution
Malesia: Sumatra (2 sheets without locality), Java (several localities).
Habitat
Most often between 600 and 1000 m altitude, rarer at low altitudes; seems to prefer limestone.
Vernacular names
Kupu (Nusa Kambangan).
Uses
Locally the roots of medicinal use.