Author: Merr.
Morphological description (see also description of Genus Bauhinia ; Subgenus Phanera and Section Palmatifolia )
Tendrilled liana ; young shoots rusty pubescent, later glabrous.
Leaves entire; stipules early caducous (not seen); petioles stout, 5-10 mm, glabrescent; lamina coriaceous, ovate to elliptic, with 3 prominent nerves and two weaker ones at base, 6-12(-20) by 4-5(-8) cm; base cordate to rounded, apex acuminate to subacute; upper surface shining, lower dull, first sparsely pubescent, soon glabrous.
Inflorescences: panicles composed of densely flowered, narrow, rusty pubescent racemes, 10-15 cm long; axis warty; pedicels stout, 15-20(-25) mm; bracts ovate, tiny, pubescent; bracteoles subulate, minute.
Flowers: Buds ovoid, apiculate, strongly ribbed, c. 4 mm. Hypanthium tubular, ribbed, 5-8 mm. Calyx splitting into 2 broadly ovate, boat-shaped lobes. Petals greenish-white or yellow, rusty hairy outside, glabrous inside, claw distinct, c. 2 mm, blade roundish with crenulate-undulate margin, 10-15 mm diameter. Stamens 3 fertile; filaments glabrous; anthers ellipsoid, opening by a central pore in each theca; staminodes about 7 of varying length. Ovary c. 5 mm, hairy along suture in lower part; stipe c. 3 mm long, rusty pubescent; style short, glabrous, curved; stigma peltate.
Pods oblong, c. 12 by 3.5 cm, smooth, glabrous.
Seeds 3-5, ovate, c. 10 by 16 mm.
Distribution
Malesia: Borneo (Sarawak, Sabah, Kalimantan).
Habitat
Found on sandstone on the peak of Balikpapan in Kalimantan at c. 650 m (n. v.).