Kock's Bauhinia

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

Sù xÄ«n huāténg (Chinese), Ketup-ketup (Malaysia).

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. 

• 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.

• 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.

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

• 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.