Author: Perkins
KEY TO THE VARIETIES merriliana Bauhinia buds FM10
a. Inflorescence a dense ± elongate raceme; pedicels 0.8-2 cm.
........... Bauhinia merrilliana merrilliana
b. Inflorescence corymbose; pedicels 3-5 cm.
.............. Bauhinia merrilliana borneensis
a. Bauhinia merrilliana Perkins var. merrilliana (Bauhinia merrilliana merrilliana )
Morpholigical description (see also description of Genus Bauhinia ; Subgenus Phanera and Section Phanera )
Slender, tendrilled climber ; young branches ferrugineous pubescent, later glabrous.
Leaves: stipules broadly obovate, pubescent on both sides, 3-6 mm long; petioles 1-2 cm long, slender, ferrugineous pubescent; lamina broadly ovate-oblong to orbicular, 2.5-5 by 3-5 cm; 7-9-nerved; bifid 1/2 - 2/3 with rather wide sinus; tip of lobes subacute to obtuse, base cordate; upper surface finely pubescent, later glabrous, lower rusty pubescent, later mainly on the nerves.
Inflorescence: terminal on leafy shoots, many-flowered, dense, ± elongate racemes; pedicels (8-)10-20 mm, densely pubescent; bracts ovate-lanceolate, 7-10 mm long, pubescent on both sides; bracteoles linear, 4-6 mm long, inserted about the middle of the pedicel or lower.
Flowers: Buds ellipsoid-apiculate, ferrugineous-pubescent, c. 1 cm long (merriliana Bauhinia buds FM10 ). Hypanthium tubular, striate, 4-6 mm long. Calyx splitting into 5, rarely 4, strap-shaped lobes. Petals white turning yellowish to orange, subequal; blade lanceolate, 7-10 mm long, hairy outside exept along the margin, subglabrous inside, claw distinct, c. 3 mm, sparsely hairy on both sides. Stamens 3 fertile; filaments glabrous, 10-13 mm; anthers 3-5 mm, opening by a longitudinal slit; staminodes 2, glabrous, subulate, with enlarged flattened apex, 3-5 mm, sometimes with 1 or 2 minute ones, filiform c. 1 mm. Ovary densely rusty pubescent, c. 5 mm, stipe short, 2-3 mm, entirely pubescent as the 4-5 mm long style; stigma peltate, 1-2 mm.
Pods glabrous, woody, 11-15 by 3 cm, tapering towards both ends.
Seeds 5-7, compressed, orbicular, dark brown, 9-15 mm across.
Distribution
Malesia : Philippines (Palawan only).
Habitat
In lowland forests.
Vernacular names
Sasinit, Managas (Paragua).
b. Bauhinia merrilliana Perkins var. borneensis K. & S. S. Larsen (Bauhinia merrilliana borneensis )
Deviates from var. merrilliana by the somewhat larger leaves , 9-11-nerved, divided 1/3 - 1/2 and by the broad, corymbose inflorescence with the pedicels 3-5 cm long (merriliana Bauhinia buds FM10 ); floral parts also slightly larger.
Distribution
Malesia: Borneo (Sarawak and Sabah).
Habitat
In mountain forests up to 1500 m on Mt Kinabalu.