牛蹄麻 niu ti ma

Lianas, woody, with tendrils. Branches cylindric; young branches pubescent, later glabrous. Petiole 2.5-5(-7) cm; leaf blade broadly ovate to orbicular, 7-12(-15) × 6-9.5(-12) cm, papery-leathery or leathery, abaxially glabrous, pubescent on veins, puberulent, or rusty pubescent, adaxially glabrous, veins 7-9, convex on both surfaces, base broadly cordate or almost truncate, apex bilobed to 1/5-1/4; lobes crossing to cover each other, with acute apices. Inflorescence corymbose, or consisting of several corymbs, terminal, 10-15 × 10-15 cm, rusty pubes­cent; bracts caducous; bracteoles linear, ca. 1 mm, inserted on lower part of pedicel. Pedicels 3-3.5 cm. Flower buds broadly ovoid or subglobose. Receptacle cylindric, ca. 5 mm; calyx lobes 4 or 5, reflexed at anthesis, ca. 7 mm, abaxially rusty pu­bescent. Petals red or golden yellowish, broadly spatulate, abax­ially rusty pubescent, claw 2-4 mm. Fertile stamens 3; fila­ments glabrous. Staminodes 3. Ovary long stalked, glabrous but rusty pubescent on sutures; stigma peltate. Legume dehiscent, ob­long-lanceolate, compressed, 15-20 × 4-10 cm, leathery, gla­brous. Seeds 4 or 5, oblong, ca. 2 × 2 cm. Fl. Jul-Aug, fr. Sep-Dec.

Mixed forests. Hainan, Yunnan [India, Laos, N Thailand, Viet­nam].

Lower Taxa

• Bauhinia khasiana var. gigalobia D. X. Zhang
• Bauhinia khasiana var. khasiana
• Bauhinia khasiana var. tomentella T. C. Chen