Banhinia.] leguminos.e. 99 



33. BAUHINIA, Linn. 



Sepals 5, united at the base in a short and campanulate or long and cylin- 

 drical tube, the upper portion separating into 5 or fewer valvate or induplicate 

 deciduous lobes. Petals 5, inserted at the summit of the tube, usually ungui- 

 culate l more or less unequal. Stamens 10, either all fertile or some smaller 

 and sterile. Ovary stipitate, the stalk connate to one side of the calyx-tube, 

 with several ovules. Pod linear or oblong, compressed, 2-valved. Seeds 

 compressed, albuminous. Radicle short and straight. — Trees or woody 

 climbers. Leaflets either 2, distinct from the base, or more frequently united 

 into, 1 entire or 2-lobed leaf, with 5 to 11 digitate nerves. Racemes ter- 

 minal. 



A large geuus, distributed over the tropical regions of both the New and the Old World. 

 It has been divided into several genera, which I have in other works been disposed to adopt, 

 but it may be more convenient to follow De Candolle and others in considering them as 

 subgenera. The following Chinese species belong to Phanera, and are distinguished chiefly 

 by the stamens, of which 3 only are long and fertile, the other 7 small, sometimes very mi- 

 nute and sterile. It forms a numerous group, all Asiatic or east tropical African. 



Racemes long. Calyx-tube very short, lobes lanceolate 1 . B. Championi. 



Racemes corymbose. Calyx-tube long, slender, lobes considerably shorter 2. B. glauca. 



1. B. (Phanera) Championi, Benth. A woody climber, the young 

 branches, under side of the leaves, and inflorescences hoary with a minute to- 

 mentum, but otherwise glabrous. Leaves broadly cordate, 5- or 7-nerved, 

 2-§- to 4 in. long, 2 to 2| in. broad, divided to about one-third into 2 broad 

 obtuse lobes. Tendrils simple, leaf-opposed. Eacemes leaf-opposed, simple 

 or several together at the ends of the branches, 4 to 8 in. long, flowering 

 nearly from the base. Flowers pedicellate, white. Calyx-tube very short, 

 lobes lanceolate, about 2 lines long. Petals scarcely longer, nearly equal, 

 with a few hairs outside. Stamens 3, about twice as long as the calyx, the 

 other 7 very minute or wanting. Pod about 3 in. long, 1 in. broad, 3- to 5- 

 seeded. — Phanera Championi, Benth. in Kew Journ. Bot. iv. 78. 



Common in ravines, Victoria Peak, Champion ; also Hance and Wright. Not known from 

 elsewhere; 



2. B. (Phanera) glauca, Wall. Cat. Herb. Lid. n. 5785. A woody 

 climber, glabrous except a slight rusty pubescence on the inflorescence. Leaves 

 broad, 9- or 11-nerved, 1£ to 2| in. long, divided to about the middle into 2 

 ovate obtuse parallel lobes. Peduncles lateral or terminal, bearing a short 

 corymbose raceme, with a simple or trifid tendril under the flowers. Calyx- 

 tube 6 or 7 lines long ; the lobes not 3 lines, rusty-tomentose outside. Petals 

 white, 5 to 6 lines long, unguiculate, obovate, spreading. Stamens 3 fertile, 

 rather longer than the petals, 5 to 7 small and sterile. Pod flat, glabrous, 

 about 8 in. long and 2 in. wide, with several seeds along the centre attached 

 by funicles very unequal in length. — Phanera corymbosa, Benth. in Kew Journ. 

 Bot. iv. 77, but not the synonyms quoted. 



About East Point, Champion ; also Wright. Extends from Khasia and Burmah to Sumatra 

 and Java. The Chinese specimens have rather large flowers, like those of B. corymbosa, 

 Roxb., likewise a S. Chinese plant, for which I had mistaken the Hongkong specimens before 

 I saw the pod. In the true B. corymbosa the pod is not above \ in. broad, and usually curved. 



H 2 



