Bauhinia glabra Jacq.

• Authority

  Isley, Duane. 1975. Leguminosae of the United States: II. Subfamily Caesalpinioideae. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 25 (2): 1-228.

• Family

  Caesalpiniaceae

• Scientific Name

  Bauhinia glabra Jacq.

• Description

  Species Description - Puberulent to glabrate liana with flat stems and tendrils (specimens may lack these). Leaves cordate-ovate, (2.5-)4-10 cm, 1-1.3 r, cleft 1/2 to 3/4 with medial bristle or bifoliolate with acute lobes or leaflets, shiny above. Flowers in terminal simple or compound racemes on short branches; bracts subulate, persistent at anthesis. Pedicel-hypanthium 6-14 mm, bracteate; calyx broadly ellipsoid in bud with conspicuous teeth, campanulate when open, 5-lobed and not splitting, 7-8 mm; petals white to purple-striate, clawed, 1.2-2 cm, dorsally puberulent; stamens 10. Legume dehiscent, broadly obovate-oblong to oblong, flat, 6-10 cm long, 2-3 cm wide. Seeds few.

• Discussion

  B. heterophylla Kunth (1819) B. cumanensis H.B.K. (1824) Schnella cumanensis (H.B.K.) Britt. & Rose (1930) This wide spread and rather variable tropical species has many names, a complete synonymy (Wunderlin, in litt.) including some 35 epithets.

• Distribution

  S Florida. Novelty. June-Nov. Tropical America.