Author: Merr.
KEY TO THE VARIETIES
1a. Adult leaves glabrous; nerves prominent below; inflorescence axis zig-zag; hypanthium infundibuliform, 15-18 mm long, 6 mm diameter.
.......... Bauhinia pachyphylla pachyphylla.
1b. Adult leaves sparsely tomentose below; inflorescence axis straight; hypanthium tubular, at least 20 mm long, 2-3 mm diameter.
................ Bauhinia pachyphylla wenzelli.
a. Bauhinia pachyphylla Merr. var. pachyphylla (Bauhinia pachyphylla pachyphylla )
Morphological description (see also description of Genus Bauhinia ; Subgenus Phanera and Section Phanera )
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, opening by a longitudinal slit. 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.
b. Bauhinia pachyphylla Merr. var. wenzelii K. & S.S. Larsen (Bauhinia pachyphylla wenzelli )
Deviates from var. pachyphylla in the leaf texture being thinner and in the persistent tomentose indumentum. The inflorescence axis is straight but has the prominent knobs of the shed pedicel-bases; the pedicels are thinner and slightly longer. The buds are elliptic with acute apex. The hypanthium is much narrower, tubular and distinctly longer, 20 mm or more with a diameter of 2-3 mm.
Distribution
Malesia: Philippines (known from Mindanao, prov. Surigao).
Note
Larsen & Larsen (1996: 488) have studied the collections Wenzel 2537 and Mendoza & Convocar PNH 10296, both have been identified as Bauhinia perkinsae with which species it has no resemblance.