Kock's Bauhinia

Overview

Phanera kockiana is native to Borneo, Lesser Sunda Island, Malaya, Sulawesi, Sumatra. It is desirable for its ornamental flowers and fruits.

Vernacular Names

Sù xīn huāténg (Chinese), Ketup-ketup (Malaysia).

Agroecology

Best grown under full sun (ideally morning sun and afternoon shade) and in deep, fertile and well drained soil. The plant may be pruned to encourage a bushier growth form. Requires support for its woody stems and sprawling branches. Prefers moderate watering. 

Morphology

• Stem - woody perennial vine with a twining growth form. 
• Leaves - arranged alternately along the stem, ovate to elliptical in shape, dark green in color, glossy and have 3 prominent veins running from the base to the leaf apex.
• Flower - bisexual flowers are borne in clusters. Each flower has 5 small, green sepals and 5 large petals. The flowers are yellow but turn red-orange with age.
• Fruits -  flat pods with persistent sepals at the base.  
• Seed - hard long and flat pod, producing between one to four round and flattened seeds which explodes when ripe.

Cultivation

• Generative propagation is by seed which will germinates in 2-4 weeks at temperature above 24 °C. It is difficult to propagate and may take a long time to start flowering when propagating by seed.
• Vegetative propagation is by air layering (may be a better option for propagating the plant), and by woody stem cutting of about 12 cm, with leaves removed.

Chemical Constituents

Tannin, flavonoids (chalcone, flavonone, isoflavon, flavanon, flavonol, and anthocyanidin).

Traditional Medicinal Uses

• It has anticancer, antioxidant and antibacterial activities.
• Its roots are used by the Kelabit ethnic group in Sarawak, eastern Malaysia to treat gonorrhoea, nervous debility, insomnia and fatigue.
• The infusion of bark and root are also used traditionally to treat toothache.