Author: Prain
Morphological description (see also description of Genus Bauhinia ; Subgenus Phanera and Section Phanera)
Tendrilled climber; all young parts rusty woolly pubescent.
Leaves: stipules ovate-lanceolate, falcate, c. 3 mm; petioles densely woolly pubescent, 1-2 cm; lamina ovate-oblong, 5-8 by 4-6.5 cm; 9-11-nerved; bifid 1/3-1/2 with rather narrow sinus; tip of lobes subacute to obtuse; base truncate to cordate; upper surface brownish hirsute; lower rusty hirsute.
Inflorescence terminal, short pyramidal, dense-flowered racemes up to 4 cm; pedicels stout, 3-7 mm; bracts ovate, acute, 4-7 mm; bracteoles similar, smaller.
Flowers: Buds obovoid, c. 15 by 7 mm (ridleyi Bauhinia fl FT8). Hypanthium broadly tubular, slightly dilated at base, 8-10 mm long. Calyx splitting into 5 free, ± reflexed sepals. Petals white, narrowly obovate to oblong, obtuse, 15-20 mm long, short-clawed, densely silky tomentose outside. Stamens 3 fertile; filaments sparsely hairy, 2 cm long; anthers c. 7 mm long, opening by a longitudinal slit; staminodes 2, c. 1 cm. Ovary densely reddish brown tomentose, 10-12 mm including a short stipe; style thick, 5 mm; stigma large, peltate, 2-3 mm, hairy as ovary.
Mature pods not seen; young pods strap-shaped, 8 by 3 cm, glabrous except at suture, with a 5 mm beak.
Distribution
Thailand (Narathiwat), peninsular Malaysia (Penang I., Kedah, Perak, Kelantan).
Habitat
Evergreen forests at low altitude.