Bauhinia pottsii (PROSEA)

Plant Resources of South-East Asia Introduction

List of species

Bauhinia pottsii G. Don

Family: Leguminosae

Synonyms

Bauhinia elongata Korth.

Vernacular names

• Indonesia: sebari (Javanese), sobheuri (Kangean)
• Cambodia: choeung kôô (Koh Kong)
• Thailand: chongkho dam (Trang), chongkho (Trat & Ranong), chongkho khaao (Central).

Distribution

Burma (Myanmar), southern and south-eastern Thailand, southern Cambodia, Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra, Java and Borneo.

Uses

The very tough bast is applied for tying. The leaves are used as cigarette paper.

Observations

A shrub, tree or straggling tree with glabrescent young branches. Leaves alternate; stipules minute, early caducous; petiole 3-6 cm long; blade ovate to rotundate, 9-14 cm × 10-15 cm, base cordate, apex bifid up to half of the blade length, lobes rounded, 11-15-veined. Inflorescence a lateral or terminal raceme; flower buds elongate, 3-4 cm long, hypanthium tubular; flowers bisexual; calyx splitting into 2-5 segments; petals 5, 4-6 cm long; stamens 3, staminodes few; ovary 1-1.5 cm long, stipe 1-2 cm long. Fruit a strapshaped legume, broadest towards apex, 4-6-seeded, dehiscent. Seed orbicular, up to 1.5 cm in diameter. Based mainly on length of the petal claw, petal colour and hairiness of leaf and ovary, 5 varieties are distinguished. B. pottsii occurs at lower altitudes, usually along forest margins, rivers, ditches and in swamps.

Selected sources

16, 47, 50, 71, 97.

Authors

M. Brink, P.C.M. Jansen & C.H. Bosch