Author: (de Wit) K. & S.S. Larsen
Morphological description (see also description of Genus Bauhinia ; Subgenus Phanera and Section Phanera)
Large, woody, tendrilled climber ; young branches quadrangular, reddish-brown wooly hairy, particularly along the edges.
Leaves: (fabrilis Bauhinia lv/bud FM7) stipules large, lanceolate to slightly falcate, acuminate, 2--3 by c. 1 cm, when young outside densely rusty silky hairy, soon glabrescent, early caducous; petiole woolly pubescent, stout, 5--8 cm long; lamina broadly ovate, bifid 1/3--1/2; tip of lobes obtuse to acuminate; base deeply cordate, 15--22 by 14--16 cm; 15--17-nerved; upper surface glabrous, shining, lower sparsely pubescent to almost glabrous except for the nerves.
Inflorescences (fabrilis Bauhinia TYPE detail ) when young corymbose, axis eventually lengthening, up to 15 cm (or longer?), rusty tomentose, stout; pedicels 3--4 cm, rusty tomentose; bracts ovate-oblong, acute, 10--15 by 5--8 mm, silky hairy; bracteoles narrowly oblong, 8--12 mm, inserted just below or near the middle of the pedicels.
Flowers: Buds clavate, 2--2.5 cm, furrowed, densely brownish silky pubescent. Hypanthium tubular, tapering towards the pedicel, faintly striate (not dilated), with cuneate base, 15--20 mm long. Calyx s plitting into 5 reflexed, strap-shaped, acute sepals, densely hairy on both sides, 20--25 by 3--4 mm. Petals white to yellow, spathulate, c. 2 cm long, densely brownish silky hairy outside, almost glabrous inside, gradually narrowed towards the 5--7 mm long claw. Fertile stamens 3; filaments 4--5 cm long, glabrous; anthers 8--10 mm long, opening by a longitudinal slit; staminodes 2. Ovary reddish brown silky pubescent, c. 10 mm, stipe 5--7 mm long, hairy as ovary; style c. 5 mm long, glabrous towards the medium-sized, peltate stigma.
Pods unknown.
Distribution
Malesia : Borneo (Sabah: Crocker Range).
Habitat
Primary forests at low altitude.
Vernacular name
Tagalap (Sungai).
Uses
Used for weaving coral fishers' fencing by the Sulaks, also for tying materials for floors in native houses.
Note
De Wit regarded this species as a variety of Bauhinia riedelii Baker, which Larsen & Larsen (1996) treat as a variety of B. lingua. B. fabrilis is a perfectly good species, morphologically as well as geographically separated from its nearest allies.